


My Master, My Lover, My Enemy

by Intoxic



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Betrayal, M/M, Master/Slave relationship, Seduction, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-17 19:51:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 61,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5883475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Intoxic/pseuds/Intoxic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the War, almost all downworlders have become slaves for Shadowhunters. But there's a small group of downworlders which remained free and finally decided to act and free their kind. The leader of Rebels sends a spy inside King Valentine's home. Magnus Bane is ought to find out every detail of Valentine's actions and to bring the end to shadowhunters. But what they don't know, is that shadowhunters will have their own little plan for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hello, to those who were previously reading my stories, I'm back to TMI fandom, and hello to the new readers. It's been a while since I've wrote something for TMI and I decided, after re-thinking that I'll try again. The prologue of this story was updated before, but I took it down with thinking that I'm not able to write some more, but now I'm almost at the end of my other story in Polish and I have three weeks break from Uni and my work is lighter as well, so I think I'm capable of getting back in this story.
> 
> This story takes some ideas from Days (If you read it, you should catch those things) and a few things from a story that I've been writing in Polish (Tak jest, Panie). It won't be updated very regulary, but I'll try to not make a long breaks. If there'll be some longer break, you'll be informed in an A/N underneath the current chapter or on my twitter or tumblr.

_February 17th, 1991._

_"_ _From now on, all of you will be my slaves. You will serve me, as the filthy creatures you are. Those who won't willingly submit to me, shall meet the death itself. I am your king and you are my slaves." the black eyed man stated, smirking viciously to himself. Every creature in the room swallowed hard, thinking that this is the end of them, the end of their freedom._

That date changed everything in the world. The whole order was flipped upside down for every single race of creatures. That day Valentine's Circle won the war against the Clave and the Downworlders.

That day the lives of many downworlders came to an end. Those who survived begged to be killed. The survivors became slaves to the shadowhunters. And it was worse than death itself. Every downworlder was marked by a spell created by a warlock working with the shadowhunters. Every supernatural power of every downworlder was binded, so that they would become harmless to their masters, the shadowhunters.

Those proud, half-angels, half-human creatures were worse than any demon in the underworld. They have been using downworlders for everything, as if they are slaves. They are so full of themselves, so sure that the power of ruling the world should lay in their and only their hands. More likely in the hands of Valentine Morgenstern, the leader of the Circle and Uprising. The King in the shadowhunters' world, the man with a heart as dark and cold as hell itself.

Valentine has never let anyone else take charge of the world order. Of course, he has his close workers, his allies, located in each Institute of the world. These men ought to serve him as well, not like slaves, but still. They kept all the downworlders in a tight grip, never letting a rebel to raise. Those who didn't submit or tried to break the rules of the New World Order, were immediately killed by their owner.

But even though Valentine had the whole power in his hands, he didn't know about those downworlders who were living in hiding. They were called 'Rebels' by the rest of the Downworld. There weren't many of them, only those most powerful downworlders who were strong enough to fight the shadowhunters back. Every downworlder dreamed that the Rebels will come and save them from the slavery, from their nightmare.

And the day came at last.

Magnus was walking down the street to his apartment in Brooklyn. The cat-eyed warlock with the spiked hair, colored in each of the rainbow's colors tonight, was looking around him. He had this strange feeling that he was being followed ever since the moment he stepped out of the club in the downtown Manhattan. Of course, he went there disguising himself as a simple mundane teenager trying to avoid the Shadowhunters' radar, as Raphael said once. The 'radar' on downworlders had blonde hair, a charming face and a not so charming attitude. He was the adopted son of the King himself, the ever beloved son, who had always been compared to his older adopted brother, Jonathan, the little devil in a hunter's skin, as Magnus called him once. Bane had the courtesy of meeting both boys, back when they were still small kids. They had been playing in the park with a boy and a girl with black hair, when they spotted Bane. At first, they took him for a fairy and decided that it would be good to kill the filthy faerie, but Magnus was faster than them. In any other circumstances, if they weren't small children, Magnus would have killed them, as it was his duty. Sometimes on his bad days, Magnus regrets that those little monsters escaped him. If he'd done what he'd supposed to then, now the world would be free of the most war-hungry generation of the hunters.

The warlock was almost close to his place when suddenly he smelled the reek of death. A Vampire was close to him. He shivered, not knowing who it was. For all he knew it could be some slave sent by his master to patrol the streets and find free downworlders, or it could be one of his companions from the Rebels. Really, when Magnus heard the name they were called for the first time, he laughed his ass off. Oh yes, they were rebels, rebels who lived in hiding for so many years. The cat-eyed man felt coldness close to his body, he knew it meant that the immortal is near him. He raised his hands up, forming a blue ball of energy between them and in one second he turned on his heels, pushing the ball out of his hands straight onto the vampire.

"Eres un idiota," he heard the familiar voice with a spanish accent. The vampire managed to avoid the attack of energy, letting the ball get past him as he jumped to the side in his super-vampire super-speed. "Who did you think I was?"

"I don't know, one of Valentine's dogs?" Magnus shrugged his arms, turning on his heel to walk into his building. Suddenly he was stopped firmly by a deadly cold hand. He was turned around and met with a serious look of his friend. "What?"

"We must go. Open a portal to Hotel Dumort," he sent Raphael a confused look. "There's a meeting with all of the free downworlders. If you checked your voicemail once in a while, you'd know that it started ten minutes ago. I don't have to remind you that you hold an equally high position as I do. We both are the leaders, Magnus. You can't abandon your own kind."

"Oh, Raphael, you play my heart and soul like a mandoline," he sighed. "I bet that Ragnor taught you that."

"Of course he has," Santiago offered him a cheeky smile, turning to the nearest wall. "Open a portal, because I think I saw the double duet of hunters near the hotel. We don't want to meet them. Of course we'd fight them off, but…"

"But it's too early to make ourselves known to the world, I get it," Magnus murmured the quick spell to open a portal. They waited ten minutes before the blue light started to show on the wall of an old bookstore next to his building. Magnus felt the annoyed stare of Raphael at the back of his head. The vampire did that everytime Bane opened a portal, no matter how many times he told him that portals take time. It's not as easy peasy as most of other creatures think. It needs time and experience like Magnus has, otherwise you could end up in an odd place, maybe even hell itself. Finally, after what it could be hours for the vampire at least, the whole portal showed up. Taught by the experience of landing in strange places, Raphael grabbed Magnus by the elbow and stepped behind him through the magic portal.

They stepped out of it on the back of the main room in the hotel, the one that used to be the dining space when the hotel was still its peak back in the twenties. Back when the world was normal. Many of the downworlders were already here. Magnus spotted ten werewolves from Luke's pack, the local New York pack. Raphael's kin were standing at the corner of the room, avoiding their mortal enemies - the Werewolves. Even though they knew they're equal here, that they were fighting on the same side, vampires never trusted any werewolf, they still treated them as enemies, though not so big as shadowhunters.

"You're finally here, Consul Bane," Luke Garroway spoke to him, bowing his head.

"Really, we should stop with these ridiculous titles. Just Magnus or Magnus Bane, or The High Warlock of Brooklyn, ok?" the werewolf nodded, sitting down on the chair in front of the long, black wooden desk behind which stood two high chairs covered with a red plush cushion. Raphael immediately moved and sat on one chair, and Magnus followed his movements. Once everyone in the room was seated, Raphael's voice boomed through the whole room, gaining the attention of each downworlder there.

"We've gathered tonight to discuss a matter of importance. The representative of each kind is present, correct?" through the whole place went loud 'aye's', before Raphael continued. "Excellent. An important matter was laid here to me and Consul Bane. I was asked, have been multiply over the years, when we will attack the shadowhunters."

"Yes," some female werewolf spoke up from the crowd. "We've been hiding for almost seventeen years. It's about time we got a grip of ourselves and attack those horrible creatures. They enslaved our families, our friends and we're sitting here doing nothing to save them. My twelve year old daughter was captured by them eight years ago, just after her first transformation. I lost my only child that night and my husband, who was killed by Robert Lightwood. I want my child back, that is if she's still alive, if those monsters didn't kill her. And I want revenge, Consuls!"

"They killed my twin brother and enslaved my mother!" another voice was heard in the room.

"We've been hiding for too long! We must attack!"

"Let's attack them!"

"Silence!" Raphael screeched in his high voice. The sound was too unpleasant, especially for werewolves and their sensitive hearing. All downworlders covered their ears for a moment, trying to stop the horrible sound. "My companions of each kind. We will. We will attack them. The days of living hidden have come to an end. On this night, this meeting, I give you my promise that I will bring the end to our hiding life and slavery in the world. We will rescue our brothers, sisters, children. We will. And at the end, we will be the ones ruling the world. Not the Shadowhunters. Those creatures will be sent back to wherever they came from, to their precious heaven filled with Angels. But before that, we will bring hell upon them. Are you with me, my brothers and sisters?"

"Yes!" many voices shouted above each other. A smile came upon Raphael's face as he leaned back on his chair.

Magnus was looking at him in disbelief. How could the vampire promise such thing to those people? Bane knew that it's impossible to just attack them without further preparation. Not when there were about two hundred of the survivors in the whole world, and the warlock guessed that not everybody may be into the fighting. Many of the downworlders adapted into living as mundanes or in hiding.

Raphael stood up from his chair moving his head to the side at Magnus. He gave him a silent sign to follow him. They went straight to the bedroom...Raphael called it the room for his dayrest. Magnus had been here multiple times, of course, only as a friend, nothing more. He was here to help Raphael set up the rules of the new life for the downworlders. They may be free from enslavement, but still some rules had to exist. The vampire pointed at the chair standing near the old, not-working fireplace. Raphael's room was always too cold, so as always Magnus shivered.

"That was brave of you to promise them a war and rescue of the other downworlders. Brave but stupid too. They will eat you alive for breaking this promise, you know that, right?" he asked, looking at the moon, shining with a bright white light.

"My promise wasn't void. I will fight the shadowhunters and I will rescue our kind, Magnus."

"How? There's like two hundred of us, and too many of them. How will you do it? We'll just burst inside the Institute and try to kill as many as we can? You have to admit that's the stupidest thing we can do." Magnus explained, turning to look at Raphael. The vampire was smirking, this was never a good sign. "The moment we attack them, they will kill us, slaughter us."

"They probably would if we just barged inside their sacred home," Santiago sat next to Magnus, on the old wooden desk, which remembered the times of Queen Victoria. A present from Ragnor on their unofficial anniversary. "That's why, firstly, we'll start with small attacks here and there, to give them a brief glimpse of our existence. Then, we will simply find out about their plans towards us, and when they won't suspect anything, we'll start the war."

"And how do you want to find out about their plans? It's not like we can go, knock and ask them nicely about it. Come on, it's ridiculous."

"Have a little faith, my friend," he offered him one of those smiles that looked a bit creepy, like he had some devilish plan in his mind. Magnus was as sure as hell that he won't like that plan. "We will find out about their plans from themselves. They will tell us." Magnus raised an eyebrow in question, clearly confused by the vampire's words. "I will send a spy into the lion's den. Straight into Valentine's home."

"Why do I have this strange feeling that your little plan involves me?"

"Because only you are capable of doing it."

"Doing what?" he asked again, swallowing hard.

"You will become a slave in Valentine's place, you will be a spy in there."

_Oh fucking fuck. Magnus thought, after he heard Raphael's words._ _This won't end well._


	2. Chapter I: The plan

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Magnus exclaimed, once he fully understood Raphael’s words. The three hundred year old warlock was pacing the cold bedroom, arms thrown into the air. His sharp cat-like eyes were burning holes in the vampire’s body. “No fucking way!”

“Magnus…”

“No! Do you know who I am?” the pure rage was escaping his mouth, as he was speaking. “I’m the High Warlock of Brooklyn. The most powerful warlock in the whole world!”

“I know this and that’s why you’re the perfect man to fulfill this task,” Magnus just shot him a murderous glare. “Believe me, Bane, If I had someone else to comply with this, I’d choose him.”

“We have other people. Why can’t you send some other downworlder, huh?”

“Because I trust none of them,” the vampire explained, following every move of Magnus with his black eyes.

“And you trust me, since when?”

“I never said that I trust you,” Magnus looked at him meaningfully. “But I know that you won’t betray me, you won’t betray your own kind. And I know that you want to do it. You want to save Catarina, right? She’s been enslaved for years now. She serves that vain woman, Penhallow, as a healer of their dangerous wounds. You want to rescue her, right? You want to rescue Ragnor as well, right?”

Ragnor had been captured by shadowhunters as well, five years ago, during his trip back to London. If only he’d put a stronger glamour on himself, he wouldn’t have been noticed by the group of five young shadowhunters from the Cartwright family. Now the old friend of Magnus serves the hunters as their pet warlock, with his magic bounded by Kassandra, the witch who had been, as Magnus puts it, brainwashed by Valentine and his demon’s tricks. Magnus met the witch only once in his entire lifetime, back when he was barely seventy, living in Peru.

“Do you?” Raphael’s voice got him out of his thoughtful state. The cat-eyed man stopped his pacing and looked down at the vampire sitting on the bed. Even though Raphael didn’t sleep on this bed; he had a coffin for his day rest; he insisted to keep the bed here for his unofficial lover, Ragnor, back when he visited him before he was captured.

“I do,” Magnus finally spoke, letting out a long breath he didn’t even know he was holding.”I want to rescue them and kill those hunters, just like you. But it’s not that simple, Raphael. It’s not like I just can go, knock and expect them to take me in. We need a plan.”

“So you agree?”

“I’m sure that I will regret it and it will end badly, but yes, I agree.”

“Marvelous,” Santiago stated. The vampire got up from his chair and walked closer to the big window he had in his bedroom. He looked up at the shining moon, letting it brighten his pale face. He heard behind his back the loud sound of Magnus’s steps, as the warlock came to stand next to him. “I don’t want to live in hiding anymore, Magnus. And I want Ragnor back.”

“Me too, but how do we do it? How will I get inside the Institute, huh?”

“I have a plan,” Magnus shot him a stern glare, knowing perfectly that the plan either will be terrible or impossible. “A Shadowhunter will get you inside the Institute.” Mangus was confused by Raphael’s words. It seemed too surreal. First of all, they didn’t know...well they did know some hunters, but none of them would lead Magnus willingly inside the holy Institute. Bane was sure that Raphael has just gone crazy in his suffering since Ragnor was taken years ago. That has to be it. Or maybe the young boy had always been that crazy? “Moreover, you’ll be lead in there by one of Valentine’s closest dogs.”

“By Robert Lightworm?”

“No. Not Lightwood. Emil Pangborn,” Raphael explained, moving himself back to his bed. He sat down and took from the nightstand a simple glass cup filled with a dark red fluid. Magnus bet that it’s a human blood, especially once the vampire mixed it, the metallic scent got in Bane’s nose, making his stomach twist. “He and Samuel Blackwell are the most loyal to them. So there won’t be any suspicion when they bring the great Magnus Bane with bound powers to be a servant for Valentine.”

“But still, it sounds too good, but how will you convince them to take me, huh?” There was this devilish glimmer in the black eyes of Raphael Santiago, when he looked into the cat-eyes of Magnus. The warlock eyed him suspiciously, not knowing what it could mean. It could mean anything, really. Santiago was known for his strange ideas, and Magnus knew that for years now. The younger man drank down the remains of the blood from the glass, and placed the dish on the night stand. A drop of the liquid fell from the corner of his mouth and was running down his chin. Raphael caught it with the tip of his right hand’s index finger. He brought it to his lips and licked it. If it was  any other man or woman, it could look very sensual to Magnus, but when he was looking at Raphael doing it, it made his stomach sick, not only because the boy drank blood.  

“Simple, the only way I can.”

“You want me to enchant him? I’m powerful, but enchantments, especially on supernatural creatures are very complicated, I’m not sure…”

“No,” Santiago cut his rambling off. “We will lure him in a traditional way.” Magnus’s eyebrow went up in a question. “They may be descendants of angels and shadowhunters, but still, they are men. And there’s only one weapon that any straight man is helpless to. A woman.”

A dead silence filled the room, which was broken only by the steady breath of Magnus. The warlock tried to comprehend the words that escaped his friend’s mouth. He wanted to understand what the younger meant, but it seemed that either he was too stupid or it was some kind of riddle. Magnus tried to play out every possible result of those words in his mind, and only one seemed to be kind of right, yet stupid at the same moment.

“You don’t mean, that you want me to turn myself into a woman and lure him, right? Because if so, then I’m not your man.” Magnus stated this with his most serious tone.

“You wouldn’t be a beautiful woman, Magnus, let’s face it,” Bane felt offended by that statement. He huffed at the younger man, squinting his eyes to emphasize his offended state. “But, I know that there are women, at least in some parts women, who are very good at luring men.”

Raphael gave him the look, and Magnus immediately knew what he’s talking about.

“Mermaids? They smell.”

“But they’re good at luring men, Bane,” Magnus had to agree with Santiago. If there was someone who was able to lure even the toughest, it was a mermaid. “We just need to ask them for a favor.”

“You mean, I have to, right?” Raphael nodded, offering him a toothy smile -  well in this case it was a fangy smile. A growl escaped Magnus’ mouth, as he threw his arms up in the air in  frustration. “I think I can call on Arela, though she may be pissed at me, after all I didn’t let her eat that man twenty years ago.”

“Let’s just go at the East River’s dock to talk with her. Then I’ll explain to both of you the rest of the plan, mi compadre.”

An hour later they were standing at the dock. The night was quiet, interrupted only by the light sounds of mundane music coming from the nearest house. Someone had to have been hosting a party there. Raphael looked around again, like he had been doing for the past half hour from even before they got here. The vampire was almost sure that someone had followed them, and he’s rarely wrong. Magnus just rolled his eyes, who could follow them when they were hidden by a spell?

The East River was calm tonight. The moonlight brightened it, making it look like it’s shining like diamonds. The water had an almost black color. Here and there the stars were mirrored in it.

Magnus knelt on the ground and brought his face closer to the water, even though he was scared as hell. He hated open waters since he was still a little boy, since the night his stepfather tried to drown him in the pond behind their home, back in Indonesia. Raphael stood behind Magnus and placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him from falling into the water. After all, he knew the horrible story of Magnus’s childhood, the warlock had told him once, when he had been really drunk. The warlock whispered some words to the water’s surface in a language that Raphael didn’t know. Probably something archaic or demonic. Then the man leaned back, too fast, almost knocking the vampire to the ground. Bane sat down on the ground, crossing his legs and motioned for Raphael to do the same. They had to wait now.

They didn’t speak to one another as they waited for some mermaid’s arrival. It could be minutes or hours, before they spotted that the water of the river starts to become unsteady. The waves started to form close to the deck. Suddenly Raphael spotted a dark red mass underneath the water surface, it was followed by some kind of a light, long thing. The closer it got, the more the vampire was able to recognize. The long thing was a tail in real, a fish tail. Finally the red mass sprouted out of the water and turned to be a nice looking, young woman (half woman to be exact) with long, red, curly hair. Raphael wondered, how she could have curly hair under water? The mermaid had black eyes now turned at him and Magnus.

“For a brief moment I thought that my hearing deceives me, when I heard your call,” the mermaid smiled at them, showing her sharp teeth covered with the remains of some red liquid, probably blood; she must have been eating not so long ago. Magnus wondered what or who had she eaten. His stomach twisted at the thought. “Magnus Bane, long time no see.”

“Yeah,” he mused, trying to not think about the blood on her teeth, but his cat-eyes seemed to focus on them, whenever she spoke or smiled. The half woman turned her cold eyes at Raphael.

“That’s rude of you, Bane, bringing me a dead treat? Not nice. I thought we’re friends,” she eyed Santiago, licking her lips nonetheless, as he could really be her food.

“He’s Ragnor’s sweetheart,” her eyes widened in a surprise, as she offered a beautiful smile.

“So you must be the famous Raphael Santiago, pleasure to meet. I’m Arela, the daughter of the Acheloos,” she reached her hand towards him in a greeting manner. Raphael copied her move, but before he had a chance to grab and shake her hand, he was stopped by Magnus. The vampire sent him a confused look, when the warlock squeezed his hand too hard; even though he was a vampire and dead, he could feel his strong grip.

“Don’t. Even though you’re dead and resistant to her enchantments, she could still pull you underwater and you’d be truly dead,” Magnus pushed Raphael a bit to the back and moved himself there as  well. It was safer to have a distance between them and Arela. Who knows, maybe she’d try something on them, mostly on Magnus, since he’s alive being.

“You are no fun, as mortals say, Magnus,” the woman commented and with the help of her arms, she pushed herself up and eventually sat on the edge of the dock, keeping her tail in the water. “What do you want?”

“Me? Nothing, but the vampire has a business to you, my dear friend,” once again she turned her eyes at Raphael and waited for him to speak.

“We plan to start attacking shadowhunters,” she nodded to that. “But we can’t just burst into their home and attack, because it would be like a suicide mission. We need a plan. I have a plan already, but it requires your help, Arela.”

“I’m listening.”

“It is a time to let them know about our existence. It is a time we take the lead over the world. It is a time to finish them and rescue our enslaved kins,” there was a glimmer of interest in the mermaid’s black eyes, clearly seen by Magnus. “I want to send a spy into Valentine’s home, into the New York’s Institute and learn about their plans towards us, once they learn about our existence. Then I want to plan the final attack and kill all of them, like they had done it years ago. I want to rescue our kind from the slavery. I want us to rule the world, not that pricks.”

“And who will be that spy? I can’t stay on the land anymore. I can walk on once in a hundred years, and I’ve already have been out of the sea for two nights,” her speech was interrupted by Raphael.

“No. My spy will be Magnus Bane. Valentine will be ecstatic to have the once High Warlock of Brooklyn…” Magnus wanted to cut him off, to say that he’s still the High Warlock, the most powerful warlock on the Earth, but Raphael just waved him off.  “Magnus will go to the Institute as the slave and will do everything, starting from listening to their conversations, flicking through their documents, books, whatever will seem to him important, to even seducing the Lightwood girl to get information that we ne…”

“What? You want me to seduce some girl? What if she’s ugly?”

“I assure you, that Isabelle Lightwood is a beautiful girl, even for your standards,” Santiago stated, not even taking his eyes off of Arela. “If you don’t want to seduce her, you can try it with Valentine’s sons, or the other Lightwood kid, I believe the archer is around fifteen or more.”

“I’m not going to seduce children, Raphael. That’s a big no!” Magnus was shaking his head to emphasize his statement. There was nothing in the world that could make him seduce children, let alone some shadowhunters. They were the worst creatures in the whole world, right after Mermaides, but only because they reeked of sea and alges. Horrible. He would never seduce the shadowhunter, never, ever. And nothing what Raphael promised him or said would make him even consider it.

“All right, you don’t have to seduce them, but you will find out about their plans, ok?” to this he could agree, though he did it reluctantly.

“And what’s my part in this plan, then?” Arela suddenly spoke, breaking their little exchange of words. Both men looked at the mermaid, who now was back into the water, with her arms folded on the edge of the deck, with her chin atop arms. She was giving them the look of annoyance.

“You are bound to lure Emil Pangborn,” a dead silence came between them. Raphael was observing her, as she was thinking about the vampire’s words. Magnus knew that she won’t agree to it easy, after all, mermaids didn’t do anything for free. They weren’t creatures who liked to help, they only did things which could only profit them. So Magnus truly didn’t expect her to agree to this, but he was wrong once he heard her answer.

“I agree. I will lure that man,” on Raphael’s face came a small smile of victory. “But on one condition.”

Ah, here it is. Just like Magnus predicted. She wants something in exchange.

“Yes?” Raphael asked carefully. He knew he had to play his cards well, if he wants his plan to work out.

“In the end, when the war will come, or whatever you do at the end, I want to kill Arthur Blackthorn,” both, Magnus and Raphael rose their eyebrows in a question. “He caught my younger sister, Talea, ten years ago. Now he keeps her as a pet in the aquarium in his home. I’ve seen her, I went to the land to see how she’s doing. They keep her like a dog, you know. She’s just two hundred, she’s still a child.”

“Fair enough,” Raphael replied, confirming his words with a simple nod. “Anything else?”

“You will let me eat some of them. You will give them to me, so I could bring a feast to my brothers and sisters. Do we have an agreement, gentlemen?”

Then they established the details of the plan, which concluded Magnus giving legs to Arela for three hours so she could lure Pangborn and use the mermaid’s secret weapon on him: The mermaid’s kiss, which, in lack of better words, brainwashes the victim. Once kissed, you’re receptive to manipulation of words spoken by the mermaid. For any warlock, Magnus included, the mermaid’s kiss was similar to the most powerful enchantment they could create, and it didn’t even require any amount of magic, nor it drained from it, not like enchantments that left the warlock drained for days.

But, though the kiss seems to be so powerful, there is always a catch, like in every magical thing. Most mermaids aren’t able to stop themselves during the kiss, so they end up sucking the soul out of the victim and in the end they kill them with the kiss.  

Later, once Magnus was back into his apartment in Brooklyn, he was thinking about this strange plan again. He had this feeling that it won’t end up well. That is, if they will be able to move to the first part of it: the luring of Emil Pangborn and leading Magnus into the New York’s Institute, inside the lion’s den.

Now all he, all of them could do is wait for tomorrow, when they will begin their plan.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for kudos and comments.   
> In the next one, Magnus will be brought to the NY Institute.  
> Comment if you feel like to.


	3. Chapter II A slave

Tonight’s night was almost too peaceful. There was no car honking heard, no screams of mundanes, hell, even no one was walking through the park, when Magnus and Raphael were lurking in the bush, waiting for Emil Pangborn to come here, like he had been coming for the past three months. Santiago was observing him every night, he knew, minute by minute, what the shadowhunter has been doing for the two hours that he spent in the park. He even knew with who, he’s doing it.

Every Tuesday night, Pangborn was supposed to patrolling St. Vartan’s Park, for two hours, between 6 and 8 pm., then he moved to the East River’s docks, and stayed there for twenty minutes. Of course, during his patrol in the park, he had been doing even more. He met with a blonde haired woman, looking around mid-thirty, with hair always made up in a perfect bun. They always sat on the bench in the park, talked for a while, then, they always went to the dock, where an old, broken boat has been docking. They only went there for fifteen minutes, and the woman always left the boat first.

Magnus knew, of course, what they have been doing there. Raphael too, especially that he could hear it very clearly with his super sensitive vampire hearing.

They observed how he met with that woman, how he later went with her on the boat, like they expected them to do. They saw how she left first, and when a few minutes later, he stepped off the deck, they began their plan.

Arela was wearing a crimson dress with a long cut cleavage that showed most of her pale chest off. The dress was ending at the front just before her ankles, and at the back it was longer, lying softly at the green grass now, as she stood, contrasting with it. Her long hair was loosely falling over her shoulders. As she moved, the rich scent of Chanel no.5 followed her; Magnus had to buy the perfume and literally pour the whole bottle on her to mask the horrible reek of seaweed and sea that lingered on her. She looked perfect in the outfit and make-up that Magnus had done to her. She could woo any man, even without using her mermaid’s skills.

She sat onto some big rock and turned her eyes at the dark river and she began chanting, as she heard Pangborn’s footsteps.

“Block your ears,” Magnus whispered to Raphael, handing him the cotton plugs for his ears. Santiago was dead, his brain wasn’t functioning like human’s anymore, but who knows if the mermaid’s singing won’t work on him, somehow. Magnus plugged the cotton into his ears and looked into the direction of Pangborn and Arela.

_‘Oh where is my beloved hunter?_

_The one who’s my heart’s ownerr._

_The one who will kill for me,_

_My enemies will be doomed,_

_My beloved hunter will save my soul,_

_He will come and make me whole._

_He’s my beloved Shadowhunter,_

_Once he’ll come, we won’t be anymore sunder.’_

Magnus observed, as moment by moment, Emil Pangborn was slowly walking towards Arela. That’s how Bane knew that the chanting is working.

The Shadowhunter was closer to the mermaid and soon he stood next to her. She turned her head to him, looked at her from under her thick, black eyelashes. Nor Magnus nor Raphael could hear them, but Raphael could read their lips.

_‘Are you ok, Ma’am?’_

_‘Now I am, my beloved hunter.’_

She rose her pale hand and the man took it, gently. He helped her to get up from the rock. The half woman moved her hand upon his wrist and whispered a few words to him, though Santiago couldn’t understand this. It had to be in Mermaid’s language or some demonic, and even though he spent years among Ragnor and Magnus, he could never learn every language they had known.

Magnus saw the light, green haze that filled the eyes of Pangborn, as Arela moved her hand to the man’s cheek. She caressed it gently, looking straight at his chapped lips. A moment and she will kiss him, and that was the big moment that Magnus has been waiting for. The mermaid pressed her lips to Pangborn’s ones and kissed him hungrily. Her nails started to grow from the small rounded to the claws, as they were kissing. Suddenly her eyes turned black. Her skin was glowing. The Shadowhunter was becoming paler and weaker in her arms.

She was sucking the soul out of him.

Magnus and Raphael shot out of their hiding place and ran to them; Raphael was faster, of course. He grabbed the woman and threw her off the hunter. When Magnus got there, Arela was laying on the grass and Emil Pangborn was standing in the same position as before. His eyes were hazed, his mouth parted, his body still.

“Magnus do your thing!” Raphael screamed, blocking Arela from jumping at the Shadowhunter to suck the rest of his soul out of him. His fangs were slid out and he was growling at the mermaid, being ready to attack her. He wanted his plan to succeed, and nothing could stop him from it. He will be succeeding, even if some of the downworlders will have to die in a process.

After all, there’s no success without victims.

Magnus walked to stand before Emil Pangborn and placed his hands on both sides of his head. He whispered the old spell of connecting to his brain and could see that there’s nothing but the emptiness. The warlock could do everything now, he could change, morph the hunter the way he wanted and said man would have no idea about it. He could order him to go and slaughter Valentine in his sleep and the hunter would do it without asking. Ah, such a tempting option, but unfortunately Raphael had other plans.

“Magnus!”

“Oh, shut your mouth. I’m working,” Magnus replied with an annoyed tone and turned his focus back on the Shadowhunter. “You will lead me into Valentine’s home. You will hand me over as a slave, for him. You will tell him, that you captured me, when I had my magic bounded by my previous master…” he turned to Raphael for some idea on a Shadowhunter’s name.

“Adam Ravenscar?” the vampire offered the name he had heard once. Magnus just shrugged his arms and repeated this name in his low tone.

“My magic was bounded by my previous master Adam Ravenscar.”

“Adam Ravenscar,” Pangborn said emotionless. “Your previous master.”

“Yes, he was killed in an attack in his household and you took me, because you recognized Magnus Bane in me,” the Shadowhunter was nodding, involuntarily, to whatever Magnus has been saying. “And, you want to give me to Valentine, as I’m a precious slave and his old enemy.”

“I give you to Valentine,” the hunter stated, looking into Magnus’s cat eyes.

“Yes, you’ll give me tonight, to Valentine, so he would keep me in the New York’s Institute,” the man agreed with those words. “You will forget about the woman, who approached you in the park and about the vampire. You will forget about us enchanting you. You will only remember that you took me from the ruined home of Adam Ravenscar in... Seattle.”

“Yes,” a small whisper escaped the hunter’s lips, before the darkness engulfed him.

* * *

 

Emil Pangborn was blinking a few times, before he moved forward with his prisoner. His head was slightly hurting, but he had a feeling that it may come from the travel from Seattle. Just as he heard of the sudden death of his friend from the past, he immediately went there to avenge him. Unfortunately, he only came upon the dead body of the man and his oldest son. The whole home was covered in their blood and insides, and the reek of demon’s poison was lingering in the main room, where the bodies lay. But this view wasn’t the thing that surprised him the most. It was who he found there as well the biggest surprise. There, in the main room, he found Magnus Bane, shaken up by the state of the house. He immediately recognized the old warlock; once the most powerful warlock in the entire world was nothing more but a slave in his friend’s house. Suddenly an idea formed into his mind. He could take Magnus to Valentine and give him as a slave to him. He could finally become his only right hand, he would have a higher position in Morgenstern’s world, higher than Blackwell and Lightwood. This could be his way to become more important than them.

He had to do it.

That’s how he ended walking with Magnus Bane in shackles. The warlock had his magic bounded and was branded with a mark, by some other warlock. Emil didn’t even try to find out by which one, he just assumed it had to be Kasandra.

“Move faster, Downworlder, we don’t have the whole day!” he snapped at the man, behind him, pulling the chain stitched to the shackles. Magnus almost fell to the ground because of it. They were near the Institute already and the Shadowhunter couldn’t wait to give Bane to Valentine.

“I can’t, those boots won’t let me walk faster, you imbecile,” Magnus huffed at him and didn’t even try to move faster.

Ten minutes later they were standing in front of the Institute. Magnus could see the building with no problem, seeing as he’s a Downworlder. Plus, his father was an angel himself, once upon a time.

“Move along,” Pangborn said again, pulling the chain one more time. Once they were standing before the big, old, wooden doors with black runes on them. If Magnus recalled good, those were protective and hiding runes. The Shadowhunter raised his hand and the door opened wide. “Come.”

He led the Downworlder inside.

Ah, the Institute hasn’t changed a bit since the last time Magnus had been here, back in 80’s. The same sad, white walls without a trace of soul. No pictures, except for the big painting of the Raziel with the Mortal Instruments. A dust lingered on the floor as they were moving towards the library, at least it used to be a library. They met an old, grayish-bluish cat on their way. Magnus smirked, so Church was still alive and kicking. The cat recognized the man and started to meowing at him in his way.

“Who’s that?” some boy’s voice spoken up behind their backs. They turned around and approached ten years old looking boy with big glass on his nose. The boy had black hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a white T-Shirt with some black drawings on it. His green jeans had washed stains on the front.

“Max,” Pangborn breathed out, turning his focus on the little boy. “Where are Valentine and your father and mother?”

“Mr. Valentine is in Idris, along with Dad, Mom and Mr. Blackwell. Jonathan and Alec went with them. Hodge is in the library,” Max answered, looking suspiciously at Magnus. “Are you a fairy? You shine like one in those old books.”

“I’m not a fairy, boy,” Magnus replied, moving his wrists in the shackles. With every next minute he felt a pain in them. “I’m a warlock.”

“But warlocks are bad,” the boy said in a small voice, taking a step back.

“Fear not, Max,” this time it was Pangborn who spoke, giving Max a crooked smile. “This Downworlder has his magic bounded already.”

There was a loud trembling coming from the direction of the library. It was followed by three voices, two males’ and one female’s. Pangborn smiled honestly and pulled Magnus’s chain again, forcing him to follow him as the man started to walk towards the room. The big wooden door opened and four Shadowhunters stepped out of it.

“Valentine, Robert, Maryse, Hodge,” Emil greeted them all, they offered him a simple nod in return. “I have a gift for you, Valentine.”

“A gi…” the man cut himself off, as he spotted the man behind Pangborn’s back. “By the Angel…” Valentine came closer to them, giving a sing with his head to Emil, so he steps away. The man eyed the Downworlder from head to toes and held his breath in a surprise. “The great Magnus Bane is here, in my home. What a surprise.”

“I have collected him from Adam Ravenscar’s house, when he died,” the rest of Shadowhunters looked at him confused, as they didn’t recognize the name. “An old friend of mine, he was always quiet and shy, didn’t like the life in the light. He died two nights ago, a demon attack. He was living in Seattle and didn’t have enough time to call for help. I got there once I heard about the attack and found Bane there. I thought that you’d like to have him as your servant, Valentine.”

“Did we know about this attack?” Morgenstern directed that question to Hodge and Lightwoods, but they just shook their heads. “Ah, never mind. It’s a great loss that we’ve lost a brother. But what a great gift he had left me,” once again he turned to Magnus. “My, my, Magnus Bane, you are going to be my little slave from now on. My own personal slave.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all kudos, subscribes and comments of course.  
> The next one will be in two weeks, because now I need to focus on ending the story I'm writing in Polish.  
> In the next one Malec will meet for the first time ;)  
> Comment if you feel like to.


	4. Inside the lion's den, hides a beautiful man

 

“A warlock? ” the young man spoke with a slight disbelief in his voice. “Are you sure, Jace?”

“Deadly sure, Alec, ” Alec wondered about it a little. This wasn’t very common that warlocks, especially those with a great power, were caught to be slaves in Shadowhunters’ homes. “Apparently his name is Magnus Bane, and father knows him from the past.”

“I see, ” he responded, turning his eyes at his sister, who was training with Jonathan.

From all Lightwoods siblings Alec was the eldest one, he was almost eighteen, only a month and a half and he’ll be a legal adult, like Morgenstern. Alec, because he hates when someone uses his full name, Alexander Gideon, was the biggest pride of his parents. The first born, always obeying their orders, being the protective older brother for his sister and younger brother, as well as for his parabatai, Jace Morgenstern, the second son of Valentine. He was one of the greatest archer in the whole Shadowhunters’ history, trained by his father and Valentine themselves. He was the ever good son for his parents. Even agreed with their decision about his planned marriage with some shadowhunter girl. He never wanted to disappoint Robert and Maryse, and the whole community, so he obeyed everything.

The outside shell of Alec Lightwood obeyed everything. But the inside of him was quite different.

Inside his head and heart, Alec wasn’t a clever boy, though he tried to be. Inside, he was a disappointment to his parents, even though, Maryse and Robert had no idea about it, yet. You see, Alec is what they always hated, what the whole community disliked, a disgrace to the Shadowhunter race.

Alexander is gay. He understood that years ago, when he was about fourteen and fell in love with his parabatai, Jace. The blonde boy with golden eyes was and still is his only love. But Jace would never return this feeling. He’s what the mundanes says a ladies man. And so Alec has been hiding this secret from everyone, sans his sister, Isabelle. That girl, by the Angel, if you look at them, you could say they’re almost twins, despite fact that Alec is two years older than Isabelle. She’s his best friend, like Jace, she keeps his secrets hidden, he’s the one she comes for advices, because there’s no girl that Isabelle could befriend in the Institute of New York.

Besides Isabelle and Alec, there’s the third sibling, little Max. He’s just nine and loves the strange books called Manga, the ones that Alec couldn’t read, even if he wanted, he simply doesn’t understand them. Max is very skinny boy, he looks like Alec, though he has gray eyes, after one of the ancestors, while Alec has inherited his blue ones after Maryse. Max resembles Alec in many aspects, starting with the fact that he wears oversized shirts and sweaters, just like his older brother. Yes. You could never tell that there are not blood related to each other.

“Yeah, ” murmured Jace, polishing his seraph blade. That’s Jace Morgenstern, always loves to use daggers, seraph blades, knifes, sometimes even swords if he has too. In opposite to Alec, who tries to stick with bows, arrows and occasionally seraph blades. “He’s very shiny, you know.”

“How do you know? I thought that you haven’t seen him, yet,” Alec finished picking his blades for the today’s training. Once Izzy and Jonathan will be done, he and Jace will start trainingng.

“I haven’t, but Max did. And you know, how that midget loves to gossip. ” Alec just glared Jace for that name for Max. Yes, Max was nine, but he looked so small, that he could be easily taken for a seven year old boy, and he often was. “Apparently, he’s ought to be father’s personal slave.”

Ah, of course that Valentine would choose the great warlock to be his personal slave. He has a big ego, actually the biggest ego in the whole world, at least that’s how Alec thinks. And it’s in the genes. Jonathan has it too. Jace as well, even though he states that he’s not like his brother and father. By the Angel, Jace even has the same name as his older brother, yes, they both are Jonathan, but when they came to live with Lightwoods, Maryse gave the boy a new name to not confuse them.

“So Max had seen him.”

“Yeah, and, I quote, he’s looking like a guy from his books. You know, those nartuo…”

“Naruto!” Isabelle popped in, as she jumped at Alec’s back. If it was anyone else, Alec would immediately react and pinned the person to the floor and brought the blade to their neck. But this was Izzy and he was used to such things coming from her. “I heard about the new warlock too. I wonder is he hot?”

“He’s a downworlder, Isabelle,” Morgenstern spoke in his cold tone. “They are meant to serve us. Do not forget it and do not interact with him, do you understand me?”

“Sure, take a chill pill, man,” she addressed him and when he turned his back to her, Izzy stuck her tongue at him. Alec and Jace laughed silently at this. “I’m just wondering, how he looks, this…”

“His name is Magnus Bane,” Jace added, monitoring Alec to follow him to the middle of the room. The black haired boy went after his parabatai and soon they started to train.

An hour later, they both were sweaty and panting, when Jace was pinning Alec to the floor with his own body. The older one tried to think of the most horrible things, when he heard Jace’s heart beating close to his own, his chest on his chest, his muscles, those tough muscles that Alec had repeatedly dreamt about touching.

“Do you yield, my friend? ” Jace gritted through his teeth.

“Ugh, I do,” Alec sighed, trying to not groan, when Jace pressed harder near his groin. “Get off of me, Jace.”

The blonde boy obeyed and lifted himself off of Alexander. He reached out his hand towards the blue eyed boy and pulled him off the floor. He dusted off his sweatpants and a shirt and went to put the dagger back on its shelf.

“You did good, Alec,” said Jonathan. He and Isabelle were sitting on the stairs, observing them. “Though I must say that you need to learn more tactic, if you want to beat Jace or me. I can teach you. I know all Jace’s moves.”

“You don’t,” said boy popped in with a grimace on his face. “Besides, I’m better than you.”

“You wish, little brother,” he bickered with the other Morgenstern. “I have far more fighting skills than you. And I’m better looking.”

At that Isabelle laughed out loud.

“Whose side you’re on, Izzy?” asked Jace, glaring at his brother. “Alec, tell them. Tell them that I’m the hottest shadowhunter, ever. And the best too.”

At that moment, Alec was red on face, as Jace looked at him expectantly. The older boy looked around stepping from one foot to the other; he always did it whenever he was embarrassed, like in that very moment. He hated to be in a center of attention, and now he has been, as all of the eyes were turned at him.

“Um...um…” he stuttered, looking into a direction of the door. There was like two hundred meters between him and the hall. He could run and avoid all of them and this stupid conversations that makes him uncomfortable. He could, but the bigger question was, would he be succeed? Well, it was worth of try. “I gotta go, I think that dad is back, and I want to talk with him...yeah...you stay here and…”

“You didn’t answer, I’m the hottest, right?” Jace stand before him with a grin on his face, blocking his way. “I am, right?”

“Ye...yeah...but I have to go, now,” he passed the boy and literally ran out of the training room. Unfortunately for him, he bumped into something hard, yet warm. Moreover, he fell on that thing.

“Ouch,” he heard a warm, deep voice.

Alec lifted his head off of someone - yes he was lying on someone at that moment - and looked before him. His eyes were roaming over a caramel chin and neck. The more he was getting up, the more he observed. He collapsed on some man. He never saw him before. When his eyes laid on the man he had fallen on, he was shocked. He was beautiful. His hair was put up in spikes. He was shining, could he be a fairy? Alec had seen fairies twice in his life, one when he was visiting Penhallows in Idris, with his parents, and the second time was when he was eight and Valentine had brought one to the Institute, only to send her to Blackthorns in the Los Angeles. But this man didn’t have pointy ears like they had, so he wasn’t a fairy.

Then Alec caught the eyes of the man. They were gold-green, looking like cat eyes. He was staring now into Alec’s blue eyes with a curiosity and something else that the boy couldn’t figure out.

“Hello, there,” he spoke up, after they got up from the floor. Alec was stunned. The man was looking at him from head to toes, even ogling him, the way boys are ogling Izzy or girls ogling Jace or Jonathan. He swallowed hard, trying to avert his gaze from the unknown man, but he couldn’t. The exotic beauty of the man was drawing him in. “I’m Magnus Bane, who are you?”

“A..Alec Lightwood. So you are the warlock, who came to the Institute? ” the archer asked and Magnus only laughed a bit.

“Yes…”

“Bane! ” he was interrupted by the loud voice of Sathera, the werewolf, middle age woman, who was their cook. Alec was afraid of her, since the day she came to the Institute, fifteen years ago. The young man flinched when the yellow eyes of the werewolf woman fell on him with the angry expression; though he didn’t know to which one of them the furiousness was directed at. She came closer to them, and yanked the warlock to her side. “Apologies, Master Alec,” she addressed him, bowing her head. Alec offered her only a small smile and a nod, before she turned to Magnus. “Bane, you cannot approach either of the masters without the earlier order or ask. It’s against the rules!”

“I don’t play by rules…” he clearly didn’t know the name of the woman or just was cocky. Magnus sent the woman a bored expression and turned his eyes back on Alec; ogling him once again. He opened his mouth again, as if he’d like to say something more, but Sathera didn’t give him any chance. She pulled him in the opposite direction and led him out of the hall. Before they disappeared around the corner, Bane glanced at Alec once again. The lustful look he gave the boy, sent shivers down his spine.

…

After his first encounter with Valentine tonight, when he found out that he’ll be a personal slave of the shadowhunter, Magnus was led by some werewolf man named Kylios straight to the big room in the right part of the Institute. As Bane recalled, from the memories of the London Institute a hundred years ago, it was ought to be the old cathedral, the one place where all of the downworlders could have been; the unsacred place. Now it was full of single beds; dear, they even looked uncomfortable, from that far. There was one table, pushed to the sort-of-a-window; Magnus was sure that someone made that window, not so long ago. He remembered clearly that cathedral in the London Institute didn’t have one. There was also a closet, one, middle-shaped, made of the dark wood, maybe cherry wood. The walls were poorly white; at least they used or should be white, that’s what Magnus has thought; but in real they were in an ugly greyish color, with some runes painted on the ceiling. The warlock guessed that these are reminders of the cathedral.

“You must listen to each of the Masters, even though you’re Master Valentine’s personal slave,” Kylios spoke, as he pointed to a bed that Magnus could take. “If you don’t obey any of them, they will kill you. The worst are Morgensterns. Valentine and his sons. Both of Jonathans are cocky and they’re thinking that they are the best here. The youngest of the Lightwoods is a nice boy, he doesn't treat us like a crap. Miss Isabelle is similar to Jace Morgenstern, very prideful, but yet, she has a pure heart. She won’t offend or attack you if you will act good towards her,” Magnus was nodding to this information, as he sat down on his supposed-to-be new bed. He laid down a few shirts and pants of his, the only things he could take with him; after all, the slave can’t have many things, practically he should only have things that his masters will give him. Bane was sure that Valentine would never give him a single thing, he despised the warlock. “The parents of Lightwoods, Maryse and Robert are barely here, they travel a lot with Valentine. There is, of course, Hodge Starkweather, he stays in here all the time, apparently he was cursed to not leave the Institute. He’s the tutor of the young Masters and the tactician here. He’s very vise. Ah,” he suddenly snapped his fingers, Magnus raised his eyebrow at him. “The last inhabitant, Alec Lightwood. A very noble, young man, a great fighter. He’s very quiet but nice, unless you try to attack his family, then...let me tell you, it didn’t end up good for a young werewolf who tried to force himself on Miss Isabelle. Young Master Lightwood slaughtered the boy then with no remorse.”

“Interesting,” he mused, didn’t want to hear anymore about the kids in here. He really didn’t care about them, except for his possible, future object of seducing, Isabelle. But first, Bane decided to try and find out everything only by hearing and talking with other downworlders here; which were werewolves only. Magnus had a theory, that Valentine picks only the Children of the Moon only because his ex-best friend and parabatai is now a werewolf. Morgenstern knew that and he hunted on Luke for years now. Magnus knew, that it’s a revenge, because his ex-dead-wife had chosen Luke over him and their eldest son. She had chosen death over life by his side as his queen.

“You will meet them all, eventually,” the werewolf continued. “Both young Morgensters are very demanding, mark my words. And god protects you if you don’t obey. You will die as fast as the blink of an eye.

“Got it. Obey them,” the other man nodded. “Alright, so what now?”

“We’ll go to the kitchen, and Sathera will give you further orders, and explain you all of the rules. Let’s go, Bane,” he led him out of the room and soon they found themselves on the corridor leading to the kitchen.

“Could you help me, Kylios?” they heard a boyish, high-pitched voice. They turned around and approached a small boy in a green, bagged sweater with some book under his arm. He pushed his foot behind the other and looked at the ground, before he spare a glance at the werewolf and warlock.

“Of course, Master Max. What can I do for you?”

“I lost my glasses and I can’t read. Can you help me look for them? Alec, Izzy, Jace and John are training and won’t let me inside the training room,” Max explained. Kylios went closer to the boy and took his hand in his own. Then, they left the corridor and Magnus’s cat eyes.

_ ‘Great,’ he thought, ‘ how am I to find the stupid kitchen now?’ _

So Magnus started to wander through the halls of the New York Institute, trying to find the kitchen, but he had no luck so far. He groaned, whenever he found himself on the wrong way. And of course there was no one in the halls, who could direct him. He was walking right next to some big, wooden door with iron latches, when he heard some muffled voices. He moved closer to the door, hoping that maybe that is the kitchen, when suddenly they were opened too fast and something hit him hard on his chest, making him fall to the ground.

“Ouch,” he yelped, opening his eyes and meeting a black mesh of a hair. So someone pushed him to the ground. Magnus tried to make some move, but the body on his own wasn’t that light, and he couldn’t use his magic. So he had to wait, until the pusher will lift himself off of him. That someone, that man, as Magnus guessed when he felt the man’s groin near his own, finally lift his head up.

And, oh, boy, Magnus was stunned.

The boy, looking like a teenager, maybe he was seventeen maybe older, locked his eyes with him. Bane was truly amazed when two pools of blue were staring at him. The warlock couldn’t draw his eyes off of him, even when they got up from the ground and the man took in his look.

Oh dear, the young being before him was truly beautiful. Blue, electrifying eyes, surrounded by the thick, black eyelashes. Sharp, small nose, thin lips. Perfect, porcelain skin, rosy cheeks. Nevertheless, the most important was that the man had blue eyes and black hair. His favorite combination.

“Hello,there” Magnus said casually, smiling flirtatiously at him. He couldn’t stop himself, even though the boy was a shadowhunter. “I’m Magnus Bane, who are you?”

“A..Alec Lightwood. So you are the warlock, who came to the Institute?” the boy asked and Magnus only laughed a bit. This Alec was adorable.

“Yes…” then they were interrupted by some werewolf woman, who started to scream at him. But Magnus didn’t care, he just kept staring into Alec’s beautiful eyes and face. As he was pulled away from him, by the woman, he gave Lightwood the last glance and a smirk.

At night, as Magnus was lying in his bed, he couldn’t stop thinking about Alec Lightwood, even though it was truly wrong. He had a mission to fulfil here. And damn him if he won’t succeed.

But that doesn’t mean that he can’t have fun during it, right?

After all, who would have thought that inside the lion’s den, hides a beautiful man?


	5. The beginning of the end

Magnus lay still on the bed, with his eyes closed. His breath was slow. His chest was rising in a slow motion. He pretended to be asleep. The warlock was waiting until Sathera, Kylios and Jesse will fall asleep, so he could contact with Raphael. He was hearing their breaths and it took him a half of an hour to finally open his eyes again. Thanks to his cat eyes he could easily see in the darkness. The two werewolves and a fairy - Jesse - were already sleeping, some of them were snoring. Kylios even barked through his sleep. Magnus turned on his back and whispered the spell in the demon language.

_‘Hellavoine serthenous nexumus cerebrus’_

It took a long moment, before he was in a position to jump into Raphael’s head. With vampires it was always a harder work, since their brains were a long time dead, and Bane didn’t have anything to hold on in there. When he cast that spell on some living creature he could easily connect with its brain nerves. Finally he managed to get into Santiago’s brain and he spoke.

“Raphael.”

“Dios Mio!” the vampire exclaimed, as Bane’s voice interrupted his thoughts about Hotel Dumort. “Qué está pasando? Magnus? Where are you?”

“In your head, you idiot. ” Magnus had to stop himself from muttering under his nose some insult towards his friend. He could feel that Raphael is very confused by the situation. “I need to contact with you somehow and I can’t send fire messages from here.” The vampire was still silent. “I’m going to take you somewhere, ok? Empty your mind and let me take over your body.”

“Just don’t kill me, Bane, or I will hunt your ass forever.”

Magnus rolled his eyes, before he focused on the ancient spell. He didn’t cast it for years now, the last time was back in Paris in late twenties, when he contacted through it with Ragnor, Cate and Tessa at the same time. The warlock pulled the every ounce of his magic and directed it into Raphael’s body, from the vampire’s head through his dead heart and empty veins to his feet. Once he felt himself in Santiago’s body, he grabbed the essence of the vampire into his fists; small, grayish lines of the vampire’s aura twisted with Magnus’s turkish ones turning itself into deep green color. In a moment later they have become black, before the light exploded from it, filling both, Magnus’s and Raphael’s mind with the white, bright light, almost blinding.

Suddenly they felt coldness surrounding them, though it wasn’t the hell’s coldness like it was years before when Magnus moved himself here. When he opened his eyes he saw the familiar white walls in the perfectly squared room. There was nothing here but bare walls. The room was bright, though there was no source of the light. Bane often wondered where it comes from, but, nothing came to his mind.

Raphael’s body eventually modeled itself wholly before him. He was holding his hands in a hard grip when the vampire opened his black eyes.

“Where are we? ” he whispered.

“Edomus,” Raphael’s eyes were wide open at this revelation. “Don’t worry, we’re not in Edom itself nor the Hell. This,” he gestured at the four walls with his hand, “is the first level above the Edom. You can say that it’s between the Earth and my father’s realm. I discovered it by an accident years ago, when I needed a safe place to hide from my enemies.” Raphael was nodding to it. “Anyway, we will be meeting here, whenever I need to report to you. I can’t exactly leave the Institute now, nor sending fire messages is safe; someone could see me using my magic. And while being here, my body lays up there still, like I’ll be sleeping. Though I can’t stay here for long, because I don’t have any alerting spells cast on myself, so I don’t know if someone is watching me or trying to wake me...no I’d feel that but…”

“To the point, Bane,” Raphael cut him off with a stern look.

“Ok, no need to get your panties in a twist, mi compadre,” the vampire didn’t like his words. He shot him a glare and urged him to continue without the unnecessary blabbing. “I am the personal slave of Valentine, just like we wanted. I met all of the inhabitants of the Institute already. And let me tell you, those kids are strange, so are the adults. But…”

“Cease your blabbing, Bane, and tell me some important things,” the black eyes of the vampire burned his soul. Magnus sighed loudly and began to speak again.

“The thing is that I met all Lightworms, Morgensterns and that strange, cursed hunter, and,” he added, taking a deep breath; truly, the air in Edomus was very thick and hard to breath in, “of course, the two dogs of Valentine. Also, I met werewolves, who serves them. They are alright,” at this point, Raphael was glaring him murderously. “I know that Valentine keeps the most important stuff in the library, at least I think so, he goes there whenever he can. Also, he keeps going to different Institutes and such. Maybe Idris as well.”

“And the point of this?”

“My friend,” Magnus patted his shoulder, which almost cost him a ripped hand, when Raphael snatched it away. “ Relax, will you?” No answer came out from the vampire’s lips, but a heavy growl. “Fine, my thoughts are that he’s checking the progress of the possible, future; well not so long in the fut…”

“For heaven’s sake!” he interrupted him, sliding his fangs out. “To the point, Bane!”

“I think he wants to gather the strongest hunters from the whole world, starting with his both sons.” Raphael’s face didn’t show any sign of reaction or emotion. It was blank. “And, I think that he will want to use them, but for what, that I don’t know.”

“Then find out more and then contact me. Bane,” the warlock only nodded to that. Maybe, after all, it wasn’t the best idea to call on Raphael in the day one. He should’ve learn more at first to give him some proper informations. “Send me back home.”

“Technically, you haven’t left your own bedroom,” at that the vampire’s eyebrow went up in a question. “Your body sits back in the hotel, only your mind is here, just as mine.” Magnus wondered whether he should explain it more, or just give up on that matter. But the stern look of the black eyes of his friend told him to do it. “I called on your mind here and made a projection of you, same as me. Though I admit, it costed me a lot of power and…”

Raphael raised his hand to shut him up, and the warlock complied.

“Send me back to the hotel, and call me when you have something important for me and the rest of the Downworld, got it?”

Magnus did as he was told.

As soon as he broke the connection between his and Raphael’s mind, he woke up and sat upright on the single bed. He tried to catch his breath, as always, the hard spell has left him weakened. In the darkness of the room, he spotted two yellow rings which were directed at him. Thanks to his cat eyes, he was able to see pretty well in darkness. As he concentrated more, he realized that someone is staring up at him. Magnus swallowed hard and waited for the move of a werewolf, trying to stop himself from an instinctual use of magic. For a moment, nothing happened, but the warlock was still aware of the awakeness of some werewolf; he had wondered which one of them was awake, Kylios or Sathera?

“Something troubles you? A nightmare? ” he heard a male’s voice, so definitely it was Kylios.

“Yes, a memory of the death of my previous master,” he lied; he always has been a great liar, he had to, if he wanted to survive in this world.

“You feel sorry for him? Has he been treating you well, then? ” Kylios had been asking some more. Magnus relaxed some more and feeling no danger coming from the werewolf and started to tell a made up story of Adam Ravenscar.

“Kind of, well he never used any force towards me, he never harmed me as well,” Kylios seemed to believe that, well no wonder, Magnus have been always a good story-teller. “He was alone, and far away from his homeland, so he needed someone to talk to everyday. And believe me, we could talk for hours. I told him at least the half of my life. He was a good man.”

“You miss him?”

“I miss the known territory, you know,” sometimes Magnus went too deep into some lie and the person he had been lying to had seen it. This time, he hoped that Kylios won’t figure out that the story he is telling is a pure lie. Maybe it was the right time to cut the pointless blabbing? “And I don’t know the new masters yet, so I don’t know what to expect.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll meet them closely very soon,” the werewolf explained. “When the morning will come, you’ll be forced to help them. Believe me.”

Kylios, indeed, was right. When the morning came, to be precisely five a.m., Magnus was dragged out of the uncomfortable bed by Sathera. He didn’t even have a proper time to put some make-up on himself, before he was led to the Institute’s kitchen. He was served with a small, supposed-to-be breakfast, which contained a bowl of mashed potatoes and a few bits of meat. The warlock looked suspiciously at Sathera. The older woman offered him an apologetic, small smile, before she took the bowl and replaced it with two sandwiches with cheese.

“You must forgive me, I’m used to cooking for hunters and werewolves only,” the female said, fixing the breakfast for kids, at least Magnus assumed it was for shadowhunter kids. She cracked the eggs on the frying pan, where the bacon had been placed before. When Kylios waltzed into the kitchen, the woman pointed to the coffee maker, which probably was some silent code for them. With no words, the man started to brew the coffee. He took out seven cups and eight glasses. He filled the cups with coffee, once it was done and glasses with an orange juice. He placed them all on the wooden tray and left the kitchen as quietly and quickly as he could.

Magnus stared at the two werewolves in a small state of awe. He hadn’t expected them to be so eager to work for Shadowhunters. He suspected that they will at least curse them during doing their jobs, but so far he hadn’t heard any insult towards the Nephilim coming from the mouths of the downworlders in here. He had a conclusion that Kylios and Sathera are just well-adapted into the life with the shadowhunters.

This wasn’t very good for Magnus and Raphael. They needed more allies if they just wanted to raise a revolution. But maybe Bane would be able to work on them, to convince them to his...well to Raphael’s ideas, though Magnus agreed to them as well. Yes, he needs to work on them. Same as he needs to work on those young shadowhunters.

Magnus knew immediately that he won’t find out anything from the older generation of Nephilim. They were blindly following Valentine, so they are taught to keep secrets with themselves. But the young ones, they can be worked on. Magnus just needed a good way to slide into their minds and lives. He could do it, definitely. All he needed is a good plan.

Bane was urged to finish his meal as fast as he could, before he would be dragged by Kylios to clean all the weapons in the Institute; apparently this was the male werewolf’s weekly job. Magnus was led by Kylios into the weapon room and left by himself with a bunch of knives, swords, bows, nunchakus and many more. Sighing loudly, he sat down at the small wooden stool. When he heard the sound of closing door, he looked around. The weaponry room was truly impressive. The shadowhunters must have collected the weapons for years, there were a few swords that Magnus had recognized from the events in the end of XIXth century, from London to be precise.

The warlock took one of the swords, the one that James held in the battle with the Autonomous. It brought the memory of the famous fight to Magnus mind. What a glorious fight it had been, a very painful as well.

He shook the memories off of himself and tried to listen if there’s anyone coming by. He definitely wasn’t into the mood to clean the weapons. After all he wasn’t a slave to anyone, even if Valentine and the rest of hunters thought so. He won’t be serving them, if it won’t be a necessary for their - Raphael’s and Magnus’s - plan to work out. Magnus raised his hands in the air and murmured a quick cleaning spell. He smirked to himself, seeing the blue sparks of his magic swirling around the weapons.

Suddenly he heard some footsteps, were closely to the door. He cut the spell off and took two swords into his hands. He sat down and pretended to polish them with a carnation’s oil and a rug. A few seconds later, the door was opened and bits of conversation came to Magnus’s ears.

“Really, Alec, I need to buy those shoes, they will match my red Dolce,” the black haired girl said, throwing her long hair to the back. “So I need you to give me some cash.”

“And how much these Louvintin costs?” Alec asked, walking in behind her.

“Louboutin,” Magnus spoke up from his place, letting them know about his presence. They looked at him shocked for a moment. Well, Magnus didn’t blame them. He was holding the sword with its blade towards them, like he’d like to attack them. The warlock put the weapon down to the floor and offered the two young hunters a fake, friendly smile.

“See? ” Miss Lightwood called, gesturing at Magnus. “He knows what I am talking about. You should too, Alec. Maybe you, Bane, can teach him at least basics of the fashion.”

The blue eyed boy clearly wished to say something, but once he opened his mouth, no words came out. Instead, the hunter’s cheeks became crimson, when Magnus winked at him and agreed to the ask of the sister.

“The red dress with one long arm? From winter 2007 collection?” The girl nodded to that with a brightness in her eyes. “It’s a gorgeous dress. I’ve seen it in the internet.” At that the siblings gave him a confused look. Was it possible that they have no idea what the internet was? Dear Lord, are they living here in some kind of Middle Age? “You own it?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “Mom and dad bought it for me on my birthday three months ago. But they forgot about the matching shoes.”

“Classic Louboutin’s, black on a six inches heel,” the girl nodded again and came closer to the warlock. She sat down at the other wooden stool and looked at Magnus in an awe. “Wonderful shoes. You do have a taste, darling.”

“And apparently you do know fashion.”

“Honey,” Magnus added with a charming smile. “I’m the fashion. I know everything about it.”

The brown eyes of the girl shined with an excitement. She leaned closer to him and grabbed his hand into her own. Magnus thought that it had to be an involuntary move, after all, shadowhunters didn’t get touchy with the downworlders. Magnus just offered her a small, quick smile. When the girl realized, what she had done, she retrieved her hand, though not abruptly like Magnus had expected her to do.

Alexander was looking at them the entire time with his beautiful, ocean-like eyes. The crimson color didn’t disappear from his cheeks. Well, how could it, when Magnus had been glancing at him the entire time, winking occasionally. But Bane couldn’t stop himself, Alexander Lightwood, though he was a shadowhunter, was beautiful man that Magnus could take to his bed.

That’s when an idea came to his mind. A brilliant idea, how to get himself into the hearts of the young Lightwoods. He needed to gain their trust and sort of a friendship, for the plan to work out, so they would tell him all of the dirty secrets.

But it didn’t mean that he couldn’t have fun during it, right?

So the way to Isabelle’s heart was through fashion.

And to Alexander’s, he’ll have to charm his way into his heart.

And frankly, he looked forward to doing it.


	6. An ally or  foe

There was something strange in Lightwoods. Magnus was sure of it from the moment he had seen the whole family in one room, during the Saturday’s meeting with the Silent Brothers. Maryse Lightwood had called for two of them, from the Silent City, so they would come and check the new downworlder in the Institute, a.k.a. Magnus Bane. Kylios explained to him that it’s normal and that the Silent Brothers were ought to see if there are no traces left of a willing using of magic, when it came to warlocks and fairies and if werewolves could turn. They also were obliged to remove or at least to file off their fangs, so they could never bite and drink up from their masters’ veins or other shadowhunters. Magnus thought that hunters are indeed smart, when it comes to their own protectiveness.

Bane had been sitting outside the healing room, eyeing the Lightwoods suspiciously. Maryse had been talking with Isabelle and Robert about some plans regarding their soon travel to Idris. Magnus hoped that Morgensterns will go as well and he’ll have some time to snoop around the Institute. Both Morgensterns brothers were ranting about something, most likely about who is better in fighting demons, like always. During the first three days that Magnus had been staying here, he realized that both brothers are competing with themselves in everything, especially in gaining the approval of their strict father.

“Come,” Valentine addressed his sons, walking into the direction of the staircase. “We must discuss the details of our travel. Robert, Maryse, come as well. Isabelle, you and Alexander stay here and wait for the Silent Brothers.”

When the hunters left the hall, Magnus breathed in relief. It was a hard task to be polite to them and serve them. He felt disgusted with himself that he agreed to this stupid plan of Raphael. He should have said no. But then Santiago had a powerful weapon over him: Catarina, Ragnor and Tessa. His friends were enslaved for years now and Magnus wanted more than everything to rescue them.

Suddenly he felt a some warmness near his body. He dared to look at the right side only to find a pale face of the blue eyed angel. Alexander was blushing madly, smiling awkwardly. He kept his distance, but it was all clear that he sat next to Magnus to start some conversation.

“You don’t have to be scared. Silent Brothers won’t hurt you, Magnus,” the warlock gave him a confused look. “You’re shivering. You’re afraid or cold?”

“Ah, so perceive, darling Alexander,” the boy blushed some more at the endearing name. This was a beginning of Magnus’s brilliant plan. He would try to lure his way into Alexander’s heart. He was good at this. He had a natural talent to woo people, after all he had been master piecing it for years. Alexander Lightwood was very good-looking. Magnus dared say even beautiful, so it would be a pleasure to lure the young man. “Indeed, I’m a bit cold. It’s rather chilly in here.”

Alec didn’t respond to that verbally. Instead, he took off his worn, black jacket and offered it to Magnus. For a moment, the warlock didn’t know what to do with such a gift. It was so uncommon - at least that’s what he had heard of - that masters were giving a gift to their slave. So why Alexander was giving him his own jacket?

“Relax, you can wear it. It’s not poisoned or something,” the boy laughed awkwardly and stared at Magnus’s face with scarlet cheeks. Magnus took the item, unsurely, and threw on his arms.

“Thank you, Alexander,” the boy cringed at the use of his full name. He explained to Magnus that he prefers to be called Alec, but Magnus stated that Alexander is far more beautiful and fits such a handsome man like Alec is. The boy was pure scarlet on his face that night. It was Magnus first step to woo the young man.

Strangely it was easy to talk to the blue eyed boy. He was the shyest man he had ever met, but he was equally curious in Magnus. He kept glancing at him in the hallways, giving him small smiles when no one was looking, biting his lower lip in that cute way. Yes, Alexander was cute, there was no denying in this. His piercing, electrifying blue eyes were unforgettable and they kept haunting Magnus in his sleeps for the past eight days since he had come to the Institute. His voice, so deep and warm at the same time, often left small shivers at his spine. Those not so full lips, dried mostly, were inviting Magnus to kiss, whenever Alec licked them in his presence or when he bit them down, while thinking of something. Bane took the liberty of observing Alec the most. He decided that he’ll get the closest with him, as he’s almost the oldest after Jonathan Morgenstern and he may know or find out some important informations for Magnus. The warlock decided that it won’t be wise to even try to be somehow civil and polite, more than he has to, towards both Morgenstern brothers. They were raised by Valentine, they were almost his copies. Magnus would die first before he’d learn anything from them.

A faint sound of rustling was heard in the hallway and soon two frames in grayish cloaks were standing before him. Magnus looked up at their faces covered with runes.

“Brother Enoch, Brother Zachariah,” Alec spoke up, getting up and bowing his head at two men “Welcome.”

“Alexander, Isabelle,” Brother Enoch spoke in the minds of hunters and the warlock.

“Magnus Bane,” Zachariah said in his mental, gentle voice, glancing at the cat-eyed man. “Long time no see.”

“Indeed, Ja...Brother Zachariah. Brother Enoch,” he bowed his head and got up as well, letting Alexander’s jacket fall to the wooden bench they have been sitting on. “Shall we start this ridiculous thing? I think I have a tight schedule for today. I believe that our dear Sathera has many orders for me for this day.”

He smiled at two inhabitants of the Silent City.

“Very well,” Brother Enoch turned to Zachariah. “I will leave you with him alone and will talk with Maryse and Robert. We shall meet by the door in an hour.” the other man nodded. “Alexander, Isabelle, let us go to the library. Brother Zachariah will examine Magnus Bane.”

When Isabelle, Alec and Brother Enoch disappeared behind the corner, the other Silent Brother grabbed the warlock by his elbow and dragged into the healing room. He closed the door, as silently as he could, and pressed his ear to the door. He listened for a while, if there was no one behind the door. Once he was sure of it, he turned around to the warlock and shot him a confused look.

“What are you doing in the Institute, Magnus?”

“I’m Valentine’s slave now.” The Silent Brother didn’t buy this explanation, he knew the warlock for years now. Magnus Bane was too good to be caught by any shadowhunter, even Valentine Morgenstern.

“You are good at lying, but this time you fail. What is the real reason of your being here? I am certain that you would not let yourself be caught.” The Silent Brother sat down on the wooden stool by the small, single bed. He gestured Magnus to sit down as well.

“Well...James, you know me so well. I have a small plan…” Magnus made a small pause, smirking at the ex-shadowhunter. “Actually, Raphael and me have this little plan.”

“Which is?”

“We’re trying...no, we will rescue all downworlders and end the shadowhunters’ rules around the world.” James couldn’t be shocked. Truth to be told, he wanted someone to rescue downworlders for a while, since the day he found out that Tessa had been enslaved as well.

His lovely Tessa.

The only woman he gave his heart away, years ago, before he became a Silent Brother.

Even though he was forbidden to have such feelings, James missed her every day. Back then, before the war, they have met, once in a year in London, but now...James didn’t see her for ten years now, since the day she had been captured by Blackthorns in Los Angeles. James wanted to rescue her for so long, but he couldn’t. It was forbidden.

But now…

“...and Raphael said that he’ll come up with a perfect strategy to do so. So…” Magnus’s voice got him out of his thoughts. “So soon, hopefully, we’ll bring Tessa, Cate and Ragnor home.”

“Are you certain that you will succeed?” the man in the robe asked.

“He is. And I want Cate and Ragnor and Tessa back. They are my family.”

“I would like to help you.” Magnus was stunned by those words. After all, Silent Brothers were meant to help only shadowhunters, never the downworlders. But then, James Carstairs was never a usual Silent Brother, not even usual shadowhunters back in his days. Well, he did fall in love with a shapeshifter downworlder. “Do you know the spell…ah, of course, your magic is now bounded…”

“No, it isn’t.” James shot him a confused look. Magnus smirked and summoned a small, blue fire right out of Edom. “I still have my full magic. I only put a small spell on myself, to mask it from hunters. Please, I’d never give up my magic.”

“Very wise, Magnu… someone is approaching.” James caught Magnus’s wrist into his hand and pressed at the fake binding-mark, chanting a spell in his mind. A moment later, the door of the healing room opened and a pitch black mass poked inside.

“I’m sorry to disturb, brother Zachariah,” Alec walked into the room, smiling shyly with a faint blush on his pale cheeks. “Valentine wanted to know if you’re done with examining Magnus.”

“Yes, we are done,” he confirmed, turning his eyes back on Magnus. He had given him a meaningful look, before he spoke in the warlock’s, only his, mind. “Keep me aware of your moves, Magnus. I’ll be reaching you soon.” Magnus closed and opened his eyes in a confirmation. “Bid my goodbye to your parents and Valentine, Alexander,” he spoke in the hunter’s mind, before he turned to Bane once again and spoke in mandarin. “Be careful and rescue my beloved.”

Magnus just gave him a small grin, before he hopped off the bed and walked to Alexander.

“So, I’m all clear, right, brother Zachariah?” he asked the silent brother, keeping his eyes on the blue eyed boy, who turned another shade of red, when Magnus winked playfully. “Remember that, Alexander, for some time in the future.”

The young boy choked on his own saliva and had to cough a few times to catch a normal breath. Magnus hit his back a few times.

“You ok there, darling?”

“Ye...ah…” he managed to say after a while. “Yeah.”

“Wonderful,” Magnus grinned at him. “Shall we go downstairs?”

This time Alec only nodded. He opened the door and let Magnus and the Silent Brother go first. He closed the door and followed the two men, who were consumed in a silence. Once they were downstairs, Brother Enoch was already waiting for the other brother at the front door. They bid their goodbye to the warlock, the werewolf butler and Alexander. As soon as Kylios closed the door after the brothers, he disappeared into the hallway leading to the kitchen.

Magnus and Alec were left by themselves.

The boy was clearly uncomfortable standing with the warlock in the hallway, when everyone could see them. It was funny for Bane, but he’d never dare to laugh at Alec. For the past a few days, he was able to see two Alec’s. One was tough, closet, silent, and meant to be seen in public. The other was nice, shy, laughing at Magnus’s jokes, leaning to small touches of the warlock, blushing so beautifully whenever Magnus winked at him. The other one was meant to be seen only in private and not by everyone. Bane was glad that Alec let him see his true self.

“How ‘bout we sneak out to the attic? You can help me hid from Sathera’s and Valentine’s radar, Alexander.”

“It’s Alec,” he responded.

“I told you, darling, I like Alexander better.”

Magnus didn’t give him a chance to say no to his proposition and grabbed his hand into his. Strangely, they fitted so good, like they were meant for each other. Alec’s hand was a bit cool comparing to his normal warmness. He probably was nervous, as always, in spite that it was their twenty meeting like that in the past a few weeks. It was odd and yet amazing that in such a short time they clicked so good.

The warlock dragged him upstairs, on the third level, where no one was ever coming, well no one except for Sathera, who were ought to clean there once in awhile. Alec let go of Magnus’s hand and pushed the attic door opened. The clouds of dust hit their noses, pushing them to sneeze at the same time. Both of them burst out in laughter. After they went inside, waving off the clouds of dust, Magnus pushed the door closed. Alec immediately went to sit on the old wooden bench, right before the big window. They pushed the bench here the last time they were here. Soon Magnus joined him, sitting so close to him that their hips were touching.

Alec’s cheeks became rosy again.

“Are you feeling ok?” the blue eyed boy asked. “The examination…”

“Believe me, darling,” he grabbed his hand into his, interlocking their fingers. Alec let him do it. “I know J...Brother Zachariah for years, he would never do something hurtful to me. But thank you for your concern, Alexander.”

Alec didn’t respond, he only smiled shyly, looking outside the window. The snow was falling slowly at the leafless trees in the garden. The winter was coming earlier this year. After all it was barely middle of the November.

“You never finished,” Magnus started again, “how did you and the blondie become parabatai?”

“Well...I think it was expected of me to become parabatai with John,” Alec explained. “But we never were really good friends, even though we’re the same age. I befriended Jace sooner, so I think it’s just that. It was Jace, who told our fathers that we’ll be parabatai, I was thirteen and he was twelve then.”

“So your sister is the other blondie parabatai?” Alec shook his head.

“Angel, no. If they’d be parabatai, they would kill themselves in the first combat.” Magnus laughed at that. “Neither John, nor Izzy has parabatai. But it’s ok, we take care of them during battles.”

“I don’t think that you have to do it often, right?” Magnus added, playing with Alec’s fingers. “I mean with whom you’d have to fight? Downworlders are no longer a threat, demons don’t show up, because there’s no one who could summon them anymore…”

“Well, it’s not like there are no more downworlders out there,” Alec said, with eyes closed, leaning at the back of the bench. “Valentine says that they still are there, just stay hidden. So, once in awhile he wants us to go on a hunt.” For a moment, Alec was silent, then he chuckled. “I’m sure that soon he’ll want us to go on one. It was too quiet lately. And Valentine hates the silence the most.”

“He’s a strange man.” Magnus concluded and Alec nodded. “But enough about that buffon. I wanted to ask you something.”

“Hm?” Alec opened one eye and turned his head towards Magnus. “What is it, Magnus?”

“Will you come here tonight, at nine pm? I’d like to meet with you.”

“Why?”

“It’s a surprise, my blue eyed angel,” he teased playfully. As expected Alec blushed at this lovely pet-name. “Just do it, for me.” Hesitantly, Alec nodded.

The hunter left the attic first, as always. And, Magnus assumed, went to his bedroom, trying to be unseen. When Magnus went outside as well, tiptoeing towards the staircase, he started to think about tonight’s evening. Tonight he will push his way more into Alec’s heart. He will start to woo him in more ways just than small touches and lovely names. Tonight he will make the young hunter fall for him.

Fall hard.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small spoiler? 
> 
> "Their lips touched.  
> And, oh, dear. Magnus for sure knew what to do. His lips were so soft on Alec’s. Moved in ways that brought the strange feeling through his body, like some kind of electrifying. He parted Alec’s lips with such an ease and slipped his tongue inside."  
> Oh-la-la they will kiss :)  
> Till the next one


	7. Your lips are the biggest sin of mine

Alec would lie if he’d tell that nothing has changed in the past few weeks. Everything has changed in his life and his heart. At first, it was too confusing. He didn’t know what to think about the sudden walk-in of another person into his heart, especially when his heart was occupied by another man for too many years. And yet, now, here, he was beginning to feel something strange and new towards the newest resident of the New York Institute, known better as Magnus Bane.

It was wrong, Alec knew it. But on the other hand it was so exciting and felt right as well. Alec didn’t know how to describe what he feels, because he had never felt like this before. Sure, he’s been in love with Jace for years, but whatever feels he had for the warlock, now were bigger and stronger. And it happened so fast that the boy didn’t have enough time to become used to it, or wrap his head around them.

For the past few weeks, he and Magnus were almost inseparable, whenever they could, of course. Both of them sneaked out in the attic, their favorite place to meet, or to the library, or the weapon room whenever Magnus was ought to clean in there, Alec would sneak in for a kiss or two.

The first kiss they shared was overwhelming for the boy. It happened two weeks after Magnus’s arrival. Bane was assisting Maryse in reading old books about demons and filled her with a few side informations about them, when Alec walked into the library, saying that Robert needs her to come to the office. Mrs. Lightwood left Alec then in a charge of the warlock and ordered them to put the books back on the shelves. They obeyed as always, no one says no to Maryse Lightwood. Once left alone they began to talk lightly about everything and nothing. Magnus as always was using his honey-sweet voice on him, which warmed Alec from the inside.

_ “I wanted to thank you, that you took care of my wounds two nights ago,” Alec spoke shyly, avoiding his piercing gaze. Magnus was the one who knew how to save Alec from the demon poisoning. A Raum demon had attacked them during a small haunt and no Silent Brother was available to come nor the Iratze had worked. But thank the Angel for Magnus, who knew the old recipe for the antidote without using magic. He sat with Alec for a whole night, applying the cream onto his wound on the back. _

_ “There’s no need to thank me, Darling,” he winked at him, grinning. “I couldn’t let such a handsome man to die on me.” _

_ Alec’s cheeks become as red as tomatoes. _

_ “But you didn’t have to do it.” _

_ “As I said, no pretty boys should die. Plus who would I look then at? You are the pretties in here.” Alec turned even redder than before. “Besides you’re something else.” _

_ “Something else?” _

_ “Something that I didn’t expect,” he explained, putting the last book on the shelf. “You’re not like others.” _

_ “Other shadowhunters?” _

_ “Other Lightwoods.” Alec’s left eyebrow quirked in a question. “I know your family for a long, long time, Alexander. And you’re so not like them.” _

_ “That’s good?” he asked uncertain. _

_ “Very good.” Magnus offered him a cheeky smile. “Now, your sister, she’s a true Lightwood…” _

_ “She said that you like me.” Alec blurted out, as Magnus touched his hand by an accident. Dear Angel, Alec felt amazing warmth when their hands met. “You know like me...like me.” _

_ “Like you...like you? Are we twelve now?” Alec didn’t understand it wholy. “I do like you, it’s true, but where does your sister know it from? I don’t recall having a gossip session with her.” _

_ “She’s nosy and a good observant,” the blue eyed boy explained, looking down at his feet, before he quickly looked into the cat eyes of the warlock. “Is it true? Do you...like me?” _

_ “I do. And do you like me, Alexander?” For a moment, the boy was looking at his hands, not knowing what to say. He never had expressed his feelings towards anyone. He had no idea how to do it. “I know that you like the blond devil 2.0. I’ve seen the looks you’ve been giving to him. Does he know?” _

_ “Know what?” Alec asked, raising his eyes at Magnus again. _

_ “That you have hots for him.” the boy didn’t understand that reference. “That you like him that way. Or does anyone know that you play for another team? That you’re g…” Alec clasped his hand over Magnus’s lips to shut him up. The warlock looked at him meaningfully. Lightwood retrieved his hand. “Of course they don’t know. It’s still forbidden. Those old pricks still carry on the stupid law. So middleage.” _

_ “No one can know. Jace doesn’t know. Only Izzy does,” Alec was saying. “She figured out by herself. I could never tell Jace that I like him. I don’t have the courage. I didn’t even kiss anyone for real.” _

_ “But do you like me?” Magnus pressed again. _

_ “I...I do,” he spoke so quietly that the warlock almost missed it. Bane smiled widely. _

_ “That’s good…” For a moment there was silence between two young men. They stared into each other’s eyes, before Alec’s cheeks were crimson and he looked down at his shoes. Then Magnus spoke up again. “Hm...never been kissed before…” _

_ Alec just shook his head. _

_ The warlock took a step closer to the boy and put his hand under his chin, raising it, so the boy would look him in the eyes. He placed the other hand on the back of Alec’s neck and pulled him even closer, so now their feet were touching. Alec stood frozen, not knowing how to react, when Magnus started to lean forward. _

_ Their lips touched. _

_ And, oh, dear. Magnus for sure knew what to do. His lips were so soft on Alec’s. Moved in ways that brought the strange feeling through his body, like some kind of electrifying. He parted Alec’s lips with such an ease and slipped his tongue inside. When their tongues touched, Alec felt himself being all mushy inside. Though his hands found their ways to Magnus’s hips, where they stroked the bare fragments of the caramel skin. Magnus’s body was hot and Alec will be doomed, but at that moment he wanted to feel the rest of the warlock’s body against his own. To touch the skin underneath the layer of clothes, to see if it’s so soft like the one on hips. Feeling a bit bold, since his body and mind were acting on instincts now, he moved his hands up, underneath Magnus’s shirt, and ran them across the warlock’s spin, making the older man shiver. Magnus jerked at the sudden touch, though he never broke the kiss. _

_ Alec had no idea how long they have been kissing, but he was starting to feel lightheaded. Magnus had to sense it, because he pulled away, though he still was keeping him in a tight embrace. When did he hug him like that? Alec didn’t know. _

_ “Now you’ve been kissed,” he said, panting like crazy. Alec was panting too and his skin felt so hot, he must have been flushed. _

_ Magnus walked out of the library then, shooting a last wink at Alec, before he closed the door. Alexander was left alone, stunned by the very, real, first kiss in his life. _

_ And by the Angel, it was fantastic. _

_ And so were the next ones. _

“Hey, you zoned out on me, Darling, ” Magnus hovered him, as they were lying on the blue blanket on the attic’s floor that night. “You ok?”

“Fantastic,” he stole a quick peck from the warlock’s lips. Magnus looked at him with his golden-green eyes full of warmth and something else, but Alec couldn’t figure out what. The older man ran a hand through the black locks of Alec, before he nuzzled his neck. It sent Alec’s nice shivers down his body.

It happened so fast. Not so long ago, Alec was scared to actually do something with Magnus. And now, after two months of their secret ‘meeting/dating’, the boy got bolder and actually intended to kiss the warlock first or do something more, like touching his body or so. But still, they haven’t moved the all way. After all, Alec decided that they deserved their first time, his first for sure, to not be on the floor of a dusted attic.

“You’re doing this again, Alexander,” Magnus spoke again, poking the boy in his nose. “What are you thinking about? You better think of me.”

Alec’s face turned red, like it was expected. He didn’t answer to it, he was sure that he could not say a word, he was too embarrassed.

“When are you going to Idris?” Magnus asked casually, laying with his head on Alec’s chest. The boy moved his fingers in his long, black hair and started to stroke it.

“Tomorrow morning. Me, John, Valentine, dad and mom. The rest stays in the Institute.” Magnus hummed, stroking Alec’s right side, sending shivers to his body. “We’ll be gone for three days.”

“Such a shame that you have to go. We could spend those three days together,” he said that in a flirtatious tone, winking at the boy, once he raised his head up to look into his blue eyes. “We could spend those three days in a bed, and no one would interrupt us. It would be such a pleasing time.”

“I have to go. I’m almost eighteen. ” Alec scoffed. “I need to participate in official meetings...oh, that reminds me,” he urged Magnus to sit up and once the warlock complied he sat up as well. “Could you keep an eye on Jace and Izzy...well more on Jace. He’s too wrapped around some girl that he have met. She’s a mundane and I…”

“Of course, sugar,” he kissed the top of his nose. “I’ll be keeping the blonde devil 2.0 from any troubles and your sister as well.”

“Thank you, Magnus.”

“I thought that the new girl is a shadowhunter as you,” Bane continued. “I think that Jace said that she’s a hunter too.”

“Jace thinks so. Actually, that idiot put a rune on her, Iratze, and she didn’t die. And he wants to bring her to the Institute,” he complained, sighing. “I don’t believe she’s one of us. I’ve never heard of such name among hunters.”

“What’s her name? I’ve known a bunch of families.”

“Fray. Her name is Clary Fray.” There was a brief glimpse of fear in the cat eyes of Magnus and Alec caught it. “You know her, don’t you? Who is she? Magnus, who is she?”

“Someone who can’t be known in the shadow world…” he murmured to himself, but Alec had heard him. “Don’t look out for her, Alec. Just don’t.”

“Will you tell me more?” Bane just shook his head.

“I can’t. And you can’t tell about her to Valentine or Jonathan. Ever.” his eyes were wide opened when he was speaking and full of fear. “Never, Alexander. Never.”

The young boy just nodded for the sake of his warlock. Whoever the girl was, she may be dangerous. After all, some mere mundane couldn’t scare the once powerful High Warlock of Brooklyn. Alec decided to look into the story of said girl. Magnus clearly seemed to be distracted, in a bad way, by the name of the girl, so Alec decided to distract him again with a long, slow kiss.

Once they pulled away, they lay on the blanket for a longer moment, before they parted their ways. Magnus left the attic first, sneaking to the library to try pretend that he had been there the whole time, cleaning or so. When Alec was about to leave the place, he was caught by his lovely sister.

“So this is your rendezvous’s place, huh?” she leaned over the doorframe with arms folded on her chest. “So…” she winked at her brother. “Did you two had sex here?”

“Isabelle!” she just shrugged her arms, as Alec went all red on the face.

“What? He’s hot, you’re handsome too, brother of mine. I don’t see why you two shouldn’t have sex…” she was saying. “Of course, I know that he’s a downworlder and you have a fiance already...but you don’t even know the girl. And you know what they say, what the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t grieve.”

“I’m not going to talk to you about my sex life, Izzy, because there’s no sex life...and you’re my little...you hear me, little sister.”

“So you and Magnus didn’t do anything?” she asked with a disbelief in her voice. “Why? Do you need a sex talk, brother? Eh I bet that Magnus is so old that he knows a trick or two, when it…”

“Stop!” he clasped a hand over her mouth and glared her. “I’m not sleeping with him. I don’t know if I want or if he wants. Drop it, Isabelle.”

The girl rolled her eyes and nodded eventually. Alec retrieved his hand. The blue eyed boy stepped out of the attic and closed the door with the key. He hid it in its usual place, underneath the vase with the flowers and walked to the staircase. Isabelle after him.

“So is he good at kissing? You had to kiss him at least.” Alec started to walk faster to avoid answering these uncomfortable questions. “Alec, tell me.”

He sighed, knowing that he won’t escape her, especially, when she grabbed his arm in a strong grip, making him stop in his place. She moved to stand before him and pierced him with her chocolate brown eyes.

“Well? Is he good at it?”

“Very.” A wide grin came up on Miss Lightwood's face. “And I won’t tell you more, Izz.”

“Fine…” she sighed with a resignation. “But I will find out the rest eventually, brother. Mark my words, Alec.”

“Just keep it for yourself, Izz. I don’t want…”

“Relax,” she interrupted him, throwing her arm around his hips. “Your secret is safe with me. We, Lightwoods, are one, always having each other’s back, right?”

“Always.” Alec wanted to say something more, but he was interrupted by the familiar, honey-sweet voice of Magnus.

“Miss Isabelle, Master Alec,” the warlock addressed them officially, as he and Kylios approached them on the staircase. “Your father and Master Valentine want to see you in the library.”

“Sure,” Isabelle spoke first, turning her head at her brother. Alec was currently blushing, glancing at Magnus from time to time. “Ummm...Kylios and I will go first, you could help me, Ky, ok? I need to take a few things for dad from the weapon room, ok?”

“Of course, Miss Isabelle.” The werewolf, let her go first and moved behind her. Soon he and the girl were downstairs, out of Alec’s and Magnus’s sight.

“Apparently, you’re going tonight to Idris,” Magnus said, coming closer to Alec. He grabbed his hand in his own and intertwined their fingers. “I heard Pangborn saying that a note came from there, that Jia Penhallow has some important news for all of you that need to be discussed immediately or so.”

“I see.” Alec focused his eyes on their entwined hands. Strangely, they fit so perfectly. They matched themselves so well. Magnus’s hand was a bit warmer, but it was alright, since Alec’s hands were always cool.

“We better go downstairs, before your sister thinks that I’m corrupting you,” Magnus said playfully, tugging Alec after himself, straight to the library. Before he opened the door to let him inside, Magnus drew him closer to his body.

Bane moved his hand to Alec’s cheek and stroke it lovingly. Alec looked him in the eyes. They were so beautiful, so exotic, so amazing. The young boy had a feeling that he could lose himself into them every time he looked in them. And he liked that feeling very much. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next one, a certain red-head comes to the story ;)   
> Till the next one  
> And thanks for kudos, comments.


	8. The past will haunt you down

Magnus was pacing the hard, cold floor of his room that night. His fastened and shallow breaths filled the quiet space. He was squeezing his fists so badly that his knuckles turned white.

It was bad. Even worse. It was terrible and they all were doomed.

He tried to concentrate and relax his mind, so he could easily connect with Raphael, but the emotions from Alec’s news still were wrecking his mind.

“Are you ok? ” he heard a quiet voice behind his back. Startled by that, he jumped a little to the other side of the room.

“For heaven's sake,” he murmured, placing a hand over his hammering heart, “don’t do that, Kylios. I am old, but I don’t want to die just yet.”

“I apologize.” the werewolf smiled apologetically and sat at the edge of his bed. “You seem nervous. You smell stressed,” he inhaled the air in the room. “Everything ok? Did master Alec do something to you?”

“No. It’s not that,” Magnus waved his hand, and then it happened. A few blue sparks flew out of the tip of his fingers, straight to the floor, creating a violet pool. The warlock’s eyes opened wide. He dared to take his eyes off of the small portal that he has created without his consent and looked over at the werewolf.

Kylios was starting with opened mouth at the floor, alternating it with starting shocked at Magnus. He tried to say something, but Magnus had seen that he couldn’t even come up with something to say. What could he say anyway? All Magnus knew was, that he has to cover this up, somehow. He had to make Kylios believe him. Bane couldn’t afford himself being uncovered, not now, when he’s mission barely began.

“What…”

“It’s nothing!” Magnus moved to the portal and kneeled next to it. He knew that he can’t use more magic to make it disappear. Who knew, maybe Kylios would tell that to Sathera or worse, to Valentine. Then it would be an end. Magnus would be killed and his mission would be a failure. He couldn’t let that happen.

“How?” the werewolf asked silently. “Do you still have your magic?”

“No!” he responded loudly. “It must be an emotional reaction. I was stressed by the...the nightmares that have been haunting me lately,” he lied smoothly. “I’m dreaming about the death of my previous master. It saddens me greatly. And my body reacts to it. After all, I’m part a demon. There’s still some of dark magic inside of me, in my blood.”

“I get it,” the other man smiled a bit, patting Magnus on his shoulder. “Sometimes I want to change into my wolf form as well, but all I can do is changing my eyes. And grow ears from time to time.” Kylios shook his head and moved towards the door. “Anyway, if you’re hungry, Sathera just finished preparing food. And Morgensterns and Lightwoods will be back in two days.”

With that he left Magnus alone. The warlock breathed in relief. He was glad that he was able to convince Kylios to his little lie. Magnus forced himself to relax and wiped off the half-portal that he created. He could use it and leave the Institute, but he was slightly afraid that the magic bounds around the sacred building won’t be so easy to force down.

The warlock lay down on his bed, closed his eyes and emptied his mind. He let the cold of Edomus surround him and pull inside of it. For a moment, he felt his blood freeze in his veins. Once he opened his eyes, he was met with the familiar white room, which contained two bony chairs and a table made of bones as well. Magnus’s left eyebrow rose in a confusion. He didn’t place it here. He would remember such thing. It must have been an addition from his father.

Of course, Asmodeus must have known by now that Magnus is using this safe place too often lately. It was only a matter of time, before his demonic father will make an appearance here by himself. Though Magnus dreaded that day.

Bane shrugged his arms and focused on a spell. This time it was easier, he had made a connection with Raphael before, so a few moments later, the projection of the vampire appeared before him.

“What now?” the dead-man asked. “Any important news?”

“Very,” he stated firmly, looking stern at Raphael. “There’ll be soon a new shadowhunter in the Institute. A powerful one.”

“What do you mean? Who is this shadowhunter?”

“Someone, who was ought to be kept out of our world. But now that she’s known to them...we’re doomed, Raphael,” he kept murmuring, looking from side to side. He knew, that the moment Valentine will find out about the red head girl, they will all die. He will use her to gain his goal, to find the Mortal Cup. “You must tell Luke Garroway to hide her. He will know. Hide her somewhere safe, before it’s too late. Tell him, that they know, not everyone, but they know and we must act quickly, befor…”

“You’re not making any sense, Magnus. Who are you talking about, and what is the woman’s connection to that dog?” Santiago was pushing the matter, grabbing Magnus by his shoulder, to stop him from nervous pacing. When did he start to pace? Bane had no idea, his body must have acted on its own. “Who?”

“Jocelyn’s and Valentine’s daughter...he needs to hide Clary...before it’s too late, Raphael. Tell him that.”

Magnus snapped his fingers and sent them both back to their bodies. Once he connected his spirit and body his eyes opened widely and he gasped, sitting upright on the bed. He was was struggling to catch a breath. Heart was hammering in his chest, strangely it was not from the spell. It was from the fear that soon they will all die. Unless the fate would be on their side.

Fate decided to play a game with them, making them losers.

When Lightwoods and Morgensterns came back home, Magnus prayed that Clarisa wouldn’t show up, as she didn’t in the past week. Unfortunately, he was the only one to pray for it.

Jace Morgenstern brought her in the morning, with an amazing news for his father that Clary is a shadowhunter. Then, it was only worse with every next second.

Bane hoped that maybe, by some kind of luck, Valentine won’t recognize Clary as Jocelyn’s daughter. But of course, his hopes soon died, as the man in question called her by his wife’s name.

“You know my mother? She’s been kidnapped by someone...I’ve been looking for…”

“My daughter,” Valentine spoke softly, coming closer to her. “Come and greet your father.”

The little girl looked at him confused, same as Jace who had been standing right next to her, with a hand clasped over her wrist. When Valentine was getting closer, she wanted to take a step back, but was held by the blond boy. The man touched her cheek, making her flinch and spoke something into her ear, Magnus couldn’t hear what.

“Your mother is here,” Valentine added, looking at Jace and Clary. “And we’ve been waiting for you, my daughter. Me, your mother and your brothers.”

Clary was overwhelmed by the whole situation, it was written all over her freckled face. Valentine was smiling at her, Jonathan as well and Jace...Jace was staring down the floor and let her wrist go. He take a step away from her, probably so she couldn’t see the sad expression on his face, at least that’s what Magnus was guessing. According to Alec, Jace fell for the girl.

“Bane!” Magnus rose his head and looked at Valentine as the man addressed him. “Take my daughter upstairs and show her to her new room. She will be living with us now. And made sure to watch her over. She’s your priority as well.”

“Yes, Master Valentine,” he grunted through his teeth. He ducked his head, hoping that Clary wouldn’t see him. But of course, the fate was once again against him. Her green eyes were full of confusion. She was opening her mouth to say something probably, but Bane just shook his head with a hope that she’ll understand the message. Apparently she did. She didn’t say a word, until he led her out of the library and moved to the stairs.

“I know you,” she whispered to him. Magnus stopped abruptly, making the girl fall on his back. He turned around and looked downstairs then upstairs to see if there’s anyone nearby. When Clary wanted to say something more, he clasped a hand over her mouth and grabbed her arm. He dragged her upstairs to the nearest room. He closed the door, as quietly as he could and turned around to the girl, who was glaring at him. He carefully took his hand off of her mouth and let her speak again. “I know you,” she repeated herself. “I’ve seen you in my dreams. Who are you? How do I know you?”

“You just couldn’t lay low, could you? I told that stupid werewolf to hide you,” he half-shouted, sighing loudly. “Now we are all doomed.”

“Who are you? Is Valentine my father? You must know me and my mother,” tears were slowly streaking down her face. When Magnus looked closer at her, he saw in her eyes the two year old girl who was chasing Mr. Catsby around his apartment on Brooklyn, a girl who was crying like a little banshee. “Please, tell me, why are you in my dreams. Who are those people. Where’s my mother? What’s going on here?”

“I’m Magnus Bane, I’m the High Warlock of Brooklyn…” the girl closed her eyes and placed her hands on both sides of her head.

“Blue sparks shooting from your fingers…” she mumbled.

“Yes, that’s my magic.”

“What did you do to me?” Clary asked, wiping her tears away. “I’ve seen in my dreams you shooting your sparks at me. What did you do to me?”

“What your mother wanted,” he came closer to her and put hands on her shoulders. “I blinded your sight. I made you a mundane girl...to keep you safe from the shadow world. That’s what your mother wanted, after she ran away from that monster.” She sent him a silent question in her eyes. “From your father and brother.”

“Why?”

“Your mother realized that what the Circle was doing is wrong. She didn’t want our enslaving and our deaths…”

“Our?” she cut him off.

“Downworlders, that’s what I am. You are a shadowhunter, like your father and brothers, maybe even better.” Once again Clary’s face showed that she’s overwhelmed by the situation. She sat down at the edge of queen sized bed and started to breathe heavily. “Calm down, biscuit, it’s not the end of the world, yet.”

“I don’t want to be a shadowhunter. I just want my mom back, and Luke.”

“Exactly, where the hell is Luke and why did he not hide you? Have you been in a contact with him?” Clary looked at him, like he’d been talking in some foreign language that she did not understand. “You need to find him, somehow and for everything sacred in this world, stay away from your father and brothers. This isn’t a world that your mother wanted you to live in, Clarissa.”

“Well too bad, she’s god knows where…”

“I believe that Valentine said truth,” Magnus interrupted her, circling the room. “She must be here. He wanted her, since he found out about her not being dead as he assumed.”

“But why? He wanted us to be reunited?”

“No, biscuit,” Magnus smiled sadly. “He wanted the one thing that your mother had stolen. The biggest treasure in the Shadow world.” She moved her head to the left, waiting for an explanation. “The Mortal Cup. A vessel, which holds something so big, that everyone is eager to kill for.” He made a small pause and grabbed her small hand in his own. “Whoever has the Mortal Cup, controls and rules the whole shadow world. The owner can control demons.”

“It’s bad, right? I see it in your eyes,” Clary spoke in a small voice.

“It’s really bad. And believe me, sweetheart,” Magnus stroked her cheek, almost lovingly. “It will be the end for all of us, downworlders and the end of the world we’ve known. The whole world will be turned upside down, even more than it is now.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I can’t let your father have the Cup. And I need your help with that, Clary.”

In that very moment the door of the bedroom was opened, and Alec stepped inside. He looked warily at them, eyeing them from head to toes.

“What’s going on here? Why are you in my bedroom?”

“Oh, I’ve made a mistake, Master Alec,” Magnus offered him a cheeky smile, making him blush. “I thought that this is an empty bedroom, which young lady Clary can take.”

“The next one is empty,” Alec grunted, glaring the redhead, as Magnus was still keeping a hand over her cheek. “Take her there, Magnus.”

“Yes, of course. After you, lady Clary,” he stepped out of the room behind the girl and heard Alec shutting the door loudly. Magnus promised himself that he’ll check on the boy as soon as he could, he seemed to be frustrated with something. The warlock opened the door of the empty bedroom and went after Clary. When he closed the door, he lowered his voice and spoke to her again. “You mustn't let them know that you know me, or that I told you about the Mortal Cup. I’ll make you a deal, Clary Fray. You will be listening to your father and telling me what he knows and such, and I’ll wake your mother from her coma and send her somewhere safe.”

“Jace said that all downworlders have their abilities bounded, then how…”

“Biscuit, I’m a High Warlock of Brooklyn, son of a Greater Demon, I’m very powerful.”

“Deal,” she said suddenly, grabbing him by his upper arm. “I’ll be your spy and you save my mom, Magnus Bane.”

Later, at night, Magnus risked his life, by sending a quick fire message to Raphael.

_ I’ll have the Mortal Cup. Soon. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for comments and kudos.   
> A small spoiler:   
> “Oh dear…” Magnus sighed. “You’re so sickly in love that I feel a dinner in my throat.” (...)  
> (...)“Your whole existence is wrong,” he barked at her. “But fear not. You won’t die, tonight. I want you to pass a message to your leader. Tell Valentine Morgenstern, that I, Raphael Santiago, am coming for him!” (...)  
> Uhu, Raphael plans something big.   
> Comments are very welcome ;)


	9. Know thy self, know thy enemy

Raphael sighed loudly, kicking himself in his mind to why he had agreed to call this meeting. Magnus asked him to pass the new information and to decide what is their next step in the plan. The warlock has been in the New York Institute for five weeks already and besides hearing some meaningless information they didn’t know anything important. Apparently, Valentine is a smart man, and keeps things mostly to himself, but Raphael knew that Magnus will be able to find out more. They just needed to give the hunters a little kick, some bait to make them move.

Maybe that’s why a plan formed in his head this night, after he bit the nerdy, scrawny boy with glasses. The one he had seen hanging on with shadowhunters two nights ago. He seemed to be very close to the red-head girl and Isabelle Lightwood. He must be important to them.

“Consul Santiago?” Luke Garroway, the leader of the werewolves pack approached him with a distressed face. The man was unavailable lately and Raphael couldn’t even pass him the news from Magnus. “You wanted to see me.”

“Yes, but it’s a bit too late, as it seems.” The werewolf shot him a confused look. “Apparently it concerns your daughter.”

“Clary…”

“Yes, come with me, Garroway.” He led him out of the throne room, straight into his bedroom, which, thanks to Ragnor’s magic, was soundproofed. He pushed the wolf inside his room, thinking that he’ll have to ventilate it, once everyone leave. He doesn’t want the dog’s stink to hang in his bedroom. Raphael closed the door behind them and looked at Garroway.

From all werewolves of New York’s pack, Luke was the most neutral. He was the one who actually held out his hand first to him, after the War, when almost the whole Shadow World became enslaved. He was the one who, along with Bane, offered to create the Council of Shadow World. The vampire agreed to it and thought that Luke will be a Consul as well, but he stated that he’d rather listen to their orders, but he wants to stay hidden as much as he can, for the sake of the woman he loves and her daughter. Back then, of course, Raphael didn’t know that it’s the ex-wife and daughter of his biggest enemy. Only Magnus knew, as it seems.

“What about Clary? I couldn’t find her. I was healing for two weeks, one of the youngest was shot with a silver bullet and I got poisoned as well…”

“She’s with the Shadowhunters. In the Institute,” Raphael cut him off. The wolf’s eyes turned black in that very moment. Santiago could hear how the heart of the beast fastened, how the blood is boiling inside of his veins. It was mere seconds before he turns. Raphael couldn’t let that happen. “Relax. Bane is in the Institute as well. He will keep her safe.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“She promised to help us. She’s an ally,” he explained, walking towards the nightstand. There was still a half-empty glass of A- blood, from an hour ago. It was a bit too cold now, but still good to drink. He took a sip of it, tasting the sweetness on his tongue. “Did you know, she knows how to get the cup?”

“She can’t know. Even I don’t know it,” Luke responded with calmer voice. “Jocelyn never told me that. She hid it, before she found me in New York. I thought that Valentine has it, until now.”

“Well…” he started with a smirk on his pale face. “Soon it will be ours. And then, we will defeat shadowhunters. The years of slavery will see their end. They will become our slaves.”

Raphael stared out of the window. The stars were shining brightly on the pitch black sky. Light of the moon cascaded on his pale face, making it shining. In the reflection of the glass he was himself smirking winningly.

He will have the Mortal Cup soon. He will finally defeat the Shadowhunters and rule the whole Shadow World.

* * *

 

“They will be going on a patrol tonight,” Magnus said to him, once he pulled him into Edomus again. At first the place terrified him. It was almost the hell itself. After all Magnus’s father is one of the Princes of the Hell. But now, Edomus was calming him. Maybe it was the hell’s icy air, or maybe the bony throne, on which neither of them ever sat. Or maybe it was the white, pure walls. He wasn’t sure. “Alec said that they will be searching around the Chinatown, because the evil blondie had seen some werewolf there.”

“Wonderful,” Raphael smirked, creating a plan in his mind. He will call for all werewolves and vampires to attack the hunters from hidden. Only to let them know about their existence. “We shall prepare a small surprise for them.”

“As we’re speaking, they’re choosing the weapons, so be quick,” the warlock added. “Only Alec, Jace, Isabelle, Jonathan, Valentine, Robert, Pangborn are going.” Raphael was nodding to it. “Just don’t hurt Alec too much, ok? He’s still useful to me.”

“Dios mio, have you fallen in love with him?”

“No,” he reacted immediately. “He’s just our informator. We need him, and for that he can’t be hurt.”

“Fine, I’ll spare the Lightwood kid.” Magnus offered him a small smile. “But I will make sure that Valentine knows about us in a hard, hurtful way.”

“If it counts, for me, you can kill him.”

Magnus sent them both back to their bodies, and Raphael could start his preparations for the attack.

* * *

 

It was almost midnight. The light of the moon was casting on the trees in Columbus Park. Raphael and Josh - his right hand - was sitting on the branch of the tree, observing everything. Werewolves were in their wolves forms hiding near the park, ready to attack when the hunters will approach.

“I feel like in my youth, just after you turned me,” Josh whispered to him. “You taught me that the observation is the key to survive in the Shadow world.”

“And I was right,” he replied, listening closely to every sound in the park. So far he only had heard some humans walking with a dog, two hundred meters from them. “You must be aware of everything, once they get here.”

“I know, I know. Attack, kill fast, and no drinking their blood. Got it.”

“Yes, but you must remember that Valentine is one of the best hunters, as well as his sons are,” he explained. “If you’re not fast enough then you’re dead.”

“I’m already dead,” he joked.

“I meant truly…” Raphael sniffed the air. It was full of incense, like in the church, a holy smell. “They are coming. Prepare.” he said it loudly enough so the nearest werewolf could hear him as well.

Raphael could hear six sets of footsteps, rustling of taking out a bow, the fastened heartbeating.

“I smell them. Werewolves,” some of them said. “Come, come, doggys, time for a little play.”

“Do you smell this?” a female voice said. “It reeks of death.”

“Now,” Raphael whispered to Josh. The blonde vampire nodded and flew behind hunters.

Josh grabbed one of them from behind and bit into his neck. The man tried to struggle, to throw him off of himself, but Josh was stronger. Arrows were flying into his direction. Josh retrieved his fangs and before the hunter had a chance to do anything, the vampire snapped his neck and rip his heart out. When other hunters went to kill him, Raphael ordered werewolves to attack Valentine.

The blonde shadowhunter was fast and smart. He was attacking them with his sword and seraph blades. He managed to kill two of them, before a grey wolf had bitten him in his leg, forcing him to collapse to the cold ground.

“Kill him! ” Valentine shouted to his companions. “That’s him!”

His son, Jonathan, ran after the wolf. Fortunately, even with their runes, Luke was faster in his wolf form. Raphael appeared behind Valentine, grabbing his neck with one hand and the other snapped the knives from his hand.

“We’ll meet again, Valentine,” he said to his ear. “You thought that we’re dead. But we’re not. I will bring the end to you. I’ll kill your sons, your wife and your daughter on your eyes. I’ll rip their hearts out and feed on them. And you’ll be watching. Then I’ll use the mortal cup to control the shadow world. And in the end, I’ll make you my slave.”

“You think that you can beat me?” the shadowhunter responded. “I have something that belongs to you, Santiago. Something that you want back more than anything.” He turned in his arms, but didn’t pull out any other weapon. “I’ll kill Ragnor Fell. And when he’ll be dying, I’ll tell him that you are the reason of his death. I’ll kill him tonight and then throw his heart on your doorstep.”

Raphael hissed at him, pulling his fangs out. Valentine only laughed. Santiago heard an arrow flying into his direction. He immediately disappeared, hearing the mocking laugh of Valentine Morgenstern. He promised to himself that he’ll kill the man as soon as he can. But first he needs to protect Ragnor. And there was only one person who could help him with it.

* * *

 

Raphael was pacing his rest-chamber in Hotel Dumort. Downstairs, in the lobby, wounded vampires were drinking human’s blood and werewolves were being healed by their healer. Santiago’s head was burning. He tried to come up with a solution to save his beloved man. He knew that Valentine’s words were real. He will try to kill Ragnor, it was only a matter of time.

He walked to the small table standing by the not-working fireplace. He opened the drawer and pulled out an old, grey, material bag. He unknotted it and looked inside. There wasn’t much warlock powder left there, but for his task it will have to be enough. He took two small papers and a pen and began to write two messages.

Be careful. Valentine wants to kill you. I’m sorry. I love you.

Get me to Edomus. Immediately. It’s about Ragnor.

He grabbed a fist of the white powder and the first message. He threw it together into the fireplace, thinking about his beloved, green-skinned warlock. The other he sent to Magnus Bane, hoping that his messages won’t fall into the wrong hands. He waited for some response. If he’ll be still a human, his heart would be hammering right now.

Finally, after what it seemed forever for him, he felt himself being light and soon collapsed on the hard floor.

He woke up in the white room with Magnus standing above him with a frown on his face.

“Do you have any idea, how stupid it was?! I could be caught and our whole plan…”

“He will kill Ragnor tonight!” Raphael cut him off, standing up. Magnus’s cat eyes opened in a shock. “Valentine said that he knows about Ragnor and that he’ll kill him tonight. I sent him a message, but...please, Magnus...do something. I can’t lose him. Please.”

“I’ll try to bring him here, to cast some spell on him. Just wait.”

The projection of Magnus disappeared from the cold room. Raphael crouched by the nearest wall, with hands on both sides of his head. He prayed, even though he hadn’t done it in years, to God, so Ragnor would be still alive. He wouldn’t survive if anything would happen to the man he came to love so badly.

He would never picture himself in liking men. But there was something in Ragnor Fell that drew him in all those years ago. Maybe it was the crankiness of the warlock, maybe the wiseness he possesses. Maybe he fell for him, because of how he was taking care of him in the years just after his change. At first, Raphael tried to deny those feelings. He even thought that maybe Magnus - because he was able to do it - put a love spell over him. But spells wear off eventually, and his love for Ragnor Fell never did.

A blue light shimmered in the white room, getting him out of his thoughts. It was followed by the green light, which the vampire knew very good. He got up from the floor in his vampire speed, and before the projection of Ragnor formed before him, he threw himself onto him.

“Maybe I should ask father to bring here a bed instead of a chair?” Magnus joked, looking at both of them in an embrace. “See, he’s all good, same old, boring Ragnor.”

“Are you faring well?” Santiago asked, when Fell materialized himself in his arms. “Did you get my message?”

“I did. Thank you for a warning, my love,” he smiled shyly at him.

“Oh dear…” Magnus sighed. “You’re so sickly in love that I feel a dinner in my throat.”

“Shut up, Bane,” the vampire growled, not taking his eyes off of his lover. “Cast a spell. Now.”

“What spell?” Ragnor asked, looking from Raphael to Magnus.

“Your boyfriend wants me to cast a protective spell on you, because Valentine threatened to kill you.” Magnus shook his arms and came closer to his fellow warlock. He grabbed his green hand in his and opened his mouth to say something.

Then Raphael saw a frown on his beloved's face. He quickly pushed the other warlock aside and placed his cold hand on the green cheek.

“Are you alright?” he addressed the issue. Fell scratched his chest, right where his heart was beating. A scowl came up on his face. “Ragnor?”

“I don’t know. I felt some sting, here,” he tapped his chest.

Then it happened. It was merely a few seconds. His green face turned pale. A short scream escaped his mouth and blood started to run from his heart. His projection started to flicker. Raphael tried to grab his body, but he failed. He kept screaming his name, having the blood of his warlock on his hands.

He felt a pair of arms around himself in the moment when the illusion of his lover disappeared. He didn’t know what was happening there. His body and mind was consumed by the pure rage. His instincts kicked in. Raphael slid his fans out and turned to the other person in the room. The vampire growled, smelling the blood of his beloved man and threw himself onto the other man. He felt himself being thrown back, right on the wall. He hit it with his back and fell to the floor.

“Try that again, and I’ll leave you here forever!” Magnus screamed at him. “You…”

“It’s your fault! You should have cast that spell earlie…”

“No, it’s your fault!” Bane cut him off, seething with an anger. “You attacked Valentine! You came up with this stupid plan! It’s your fucking fault! It’s because of you that Ragnor is dead!”

Raphael cried out and fell down to his knees. Red tears escaped his eyes and were running down his cheeks. He brought his hands, covered with his lover’s blood, to his mouth and liked the tips of his fingers, tasting Fell for the last time. He was lamenting Ragnor’s name over and over again, feeling that his dead heart broke into million pieces.

He felt that Magnus sat next to him, too close for his liking. Raphael was still angry and he was afraid that he may kill him.

“I’m so sorry, Raphael,” Bane whispered with a shaky voice. He must have been crying as well. “We shouldn’t fight. We shouldn’t blame each other. It’s Valentine’s fault! He did th…”

“I will rip his heart out!” he growled, sliding his fangs out. “He will beg me to kill him. He will beg me to let him die, but I won’t. I will torture him, as much as I can. And then, I’ll turn him into what he hates the most! I’ll turn him into a vampire.”

“I’ll help you with that,” Magnus promised solemnly, putting his hand on the other’s upper arm. “I’ll be at your side with this. He’s gone too far. He’ll regret that. He’ll be begging us to show him some mercy, but we won’t.”

“We won’t,” he agreed. “I’ll do everything to make him suffer hundred times more than I am.” He paused for a moment and inhaled the thick air sharply. “Send me to Idris. I’m going to take Ragnor’s body to his homeland.”

“It’s too risk…”

“I don’t care! I need to…” tears were streaking his pale cheeks again. “I need to take him from there. I need to.”

“Ok…” Magnus stated with a heavy heart. He didn’t want to spill innocent blood anymore, whether it was Raphael’s or those poor hunters who were Fell’s owners. But he knew that he couldn’t stop his companion. Not when he’s driven with rage and broken heart. In fact, if he could, he’d do the same. “I’m sending you back to the hotel and then I’ll send you to Idris.”

Hours later, moments before the sun rose in the household of shadowhunters in Idris, Raphael stood in the middle of the room with the dead body of his lover in his arms. Right before him were crouching three shadowhunters, a little girl with curly blonde hair, a boy older than her, and their mother. Their father had been lying in the foyer with his heart ripped out. The vampire's hands were covered with his blood.

“Please,” the woman whispered. “Spare the children, they have done nothing wrong.”

“Your whole existence is wrong,” he barked at her. “But fear not. You won’t die, tonight. I want you to pass a message to your leader. Tell Valentine Morgenstern, that I, Raphael Santiago, am coming for him!” 


	10. There's no winning without a sacrifice

A cold air filled the library of the New York’s Institute. Valentine was sitting in his leather chair, with his son Jonathan before him. They were discussing the latest events. The kill of the warlock and the slaughter of Michael Ashwood, his loyal friend from Idris. Santiago had a nerve to actually step inside of the city of hunters and leave there alive. Morgenstern wondered, how he got there in a first place.

“Maybe he had some help of a warlock,” John said, scratching his chin. “You said yourself that you felt some magic in that house.”

“Indeed, I did,” he responded coldly. “But then, who was that warlock. It had to be some kind of a powerful creature, very experienced. And I made sure to enslave or kill all of them.”

“I think we need to have a little talk with our warlock.” Valentine raised an eyebrow at his son. “Bane for sure knows many warlocks. I believe we need to press the matter with him.”

“Call for him, I’ll have a small talk with our warlock.”

Magnus didn’t actually know, why he was called to the library this morning. He had suspicions that it may occur the yesterday’s vampire attack at the shadowhunters in Los Angeles Institute. Since Ragnor’s death, Raphael has begun to attack Institutes in the USA, only to anger Valentine. So far he killed around twenty hunters, young hunters, who aspired to be the new generation of fighters. Even though Magnus wasn’t so keen on killing them, he knew that this is the only way to make their number lesser. This is what they needed, if they wanted to outnumber and defeat shadowhunters.

He was sitting in front of Valentine. Jonathan stood by the right side of his father. They were observing him accurately, just trying to read him.

“Magnus, Magnus,” Valentine started, his fingers bouncing on the desk, “there has been a lot of tragic events lately. I’m sure you have heard about them.”

“Of course, Master Morgenstern,” he tried to say it without sarcasm. “I heard about the attacks on shadowhutners.”

“Yes, and this is why I called you here,” Magnus raised his eyebrow in a question. “I’m going to show you something, and you will tell me what do you know about it. If you dare to lie to me, you will be punished.” The warlock nodded. “Bring the Counselor in, Jonathan.”

The young boy went to the door and opened them. Seconds later, he led to the table an equally young, blonde woman with hair done in a ponytail. She was wearing simple jeans and white jacket on a black shirt.

“Mister Morgenstern, it’s nice to see you,” she spoke, smiling to him.

“Likewise. Lydia Branwell, the counselor of my Clave.” He pointed at her. “Magnus Bane, the once High Warlock of Brooklyn, now my personal slave.”

“I’ve heard so much about you,” Magnus didn’t know what to say so he kept his mouth shut. “Shall we begin?” Valentine just nodded. Begin what? Magnus wondered. He eyed the young woman warily, looking for some suspicious things. Lydia took a step closer to him and pulled out her stele from the pocket of her beige coat. It lightened in her hand, as she pointed it at the warlock. “Now, you know how downworlders reacts to the touch of stele, right? So, shall we start with simple questions?”

“Little girl, if you try to threaten a centuries year old creature, who has seen too many things, you should learn how to do so,” Bane laughed through his words. Who did she think she is to threaten the High Warlock of Brooklyn? Magnus could kill her with one simple snap of his fingers. “Try asking nicely, and I may consider cooperating with you.”

“We’ve discovered the magic of a warlock…”

“Duh, only warlocks and fairies are able to do magic, little girl,” he interrupted her, annoyed. “And seelies are not so keen on using their flow.”

“Yes, there was magic used in Idris. At Ashwoods’ residence, when Raphael Santiago slaughtered Michael Ashwood on his family’s eyes.” She explained, looking at the warlock. “Do you know which warlock could help him get in there and trespass our wards?”

“Your wards in Idris? Please,” Magnus waved his hand nonchalantly. “There are no real wards. Any half-good warlock is able to take them down.”

“Yes,” Valentine confirmed. “But every warlock that I know, has now bounded magic.” Magnus didn’t respond to that. “Now, I want you to come with me to Idris and tell me, which warlock had helped him.”

“Can I say no?” Valentine gave him only a pointed look. “Fine, but don’t expect too much. My magic was bounded years ago.”

“That’s why I’m taking the second downworlder with us.” Magnus knew who he was talking about. Kasandra, Valentine’s loyal minion. The blonde man turned to Lydia. “Summon Kassandra and we will leave immediately.”

“Of course, Valentine.”

There was a soft knock to the door, and a second later a familiar black mop of hair poked inside. A small smile came upon Magnus’s face, when his eyes landed on Alec.

“Jia Penhallow is here, and wants to see you, Valentine,” he addressed older man. “Father took her to the lobby for now.”

“Ah yes,” Morgenstern retorted, getting up from his leather chair. “Tell them to come here, Alec. We’re done here.” The young boy nodded and turned to the door. “Take Magnus with you, Alec. And have him prepared for the travel. You will come as well with us, Alec. To Idris. We leave soon.”

Magnus got up from his chair and almost ran to his little, blue eyed hunter. There was a shy smile on the boy’s face, when Magnus stopped before him. The warlock addressed him officially, to which Alec’s cheeks became rosy. He truly enjoyed bringing the color to Alec’s face. They both left the library all silently and at a small distance from each other, though Magnus was sure that if he moved his arm to the right side, he could easily reach Alec’s hand. But he couldn’t. He wasn’t sure who they could meet on their way.

“Are you ok with coming with us?” Magnus finally asked, looking at his lover. Alec confirmed with a single nod. “It’s good. At least I’ll have some nice company there. Do you think we’ll stay the night there?”

“I don’t know.”

“If so, we’re so sharing the bed. I refuse to sleep in one room with Kassandra. I hate that woman.” Alec laughed silently, shaking his head. “Hey, what’s up? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

“Izzy knows,” he said, not looking at Magnus. Magnus just shrugged his arms, not really knowing to what he’s referring. “About...us.” He whispered. “She found out about the attic.”

“I think that your sister won’t be a problem, Alexander.” Alec didn’t respond to that. He smiled a bit to Magnus and rushed ahead. The warlock stood there, in the middle of the hall, awkwardly, not knowing if he should follow the young boy. Fortunately Alec came back a few moments later and took him to his room, so Magnus could help him with packing for a travel. Bane smirked at the idea of being all alone with Alexander. Even with so little time, they could do a few, pleasurable things.

* * *

 

Valentine was left disappointed after the talk with Jia. The former consul wasn’t able to stop Raphael Santiago from killing shadowhunters around the USA. With every next name she spoke of, the man was becoming angrier. He needed to stop that downworlder, before he’ll kill every valued hunter in the world. He just couldn’t conclude from where the vampire has the magical help. After all, Valentine had killed his filthy lover - Ragnor Fell - so there was no possibility for him to use the warlock magic. And the friends of Fell - Bane, Loss and Gray - were captured and enslaved years ago. Their magic was bounded, they couldn’t use it. Santiago wasn’t a magical creature, he couldn’t use magic by himself. He had to have some help. But who? Who would dare to fool Valentine Morgenstern? Who would dare to play dirty against him?

Once in Idris, again, he was disappointed. Neither Kassandra, nor Bane could tell him which warlock could help Santiago get in Idris. The magic was familiar to Morgenstern, he had felt it somewhere in his life, but he couldn’t remember where and when. He had interacted with many warlocks during the last seventeen years.

“We should take Clarissa with us,” his son whispered to him, when Bane was standing with closed eyes in the middle of the room. “Maybe she could help us.”

“Your sister must train as much as she can,” he explained, eyeing Kassandra and Bane. “Your brother will train her well.”

“I could do it better.”

“I have other tasks for you, my son.” At that Jonathan looked at him weirdly. “You must help me with ending Raphael Santiago. I need a way to finish him.”

The young boy was silent for a moment, eyeing the whole room. His eyes stopped at Alec, who was looking hard at Kassandra. John followed his look and found out why the boy was glaring the female warlock. Kassandra was giving lustful looks to Bane, who was focused on his chants. It was all interesting. He must remember this scene for later.

Now he had to focus on other matter. Jonathan knew that he needs help with ending Raphael Santiago. He needed to provide a hunting for the vampire. But he couldn’t do it alone. He needed some people who will hunt for him. On the other hand, he was smart enough to know that his sister won’t help him. Clary wasn’t very against downworlders. And Jace will follow her lead. Jace is attached to their little sister. Alec will follow the lead of his parabatai, and Isabelle will do as Alec. It means that they won’t go for a wild hunt after Raphael Santiago.

Unless they will have some motivation.

But what could be a good motivation for them?

John knew that the best motivation will be a rage on Raphael. But the killings of hunters didn’t fill the young ones with rage. Anger, yes, but not the rage that was needed. There was no surprise, they didn’t know them. But they will feel rage, once the vampire attacks someone very close to him. Someone precious for the whole group. Someone that they will be ready to kill for.

An image filled his mind. A plan began to form. He knew, exactly, what he has to do.

* * *

 

Alec, Jace, Clary, Isabelle, Valentine and Robert walked inside the Institute. They just got back from the hunting. Tonight’s night wasn’t as eventful as Morgenstern wanted it to be. They killed three vampires from Santiago’s clan, but the leader wasn’t with them. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find the lair of the downworlders. It must be hidden by some magic. But Valentine will find it eventually. All he needs to have is the Mortal Cup and the Book of White. With it, he could not only control the whole shadow world, but also be the most powerful man. He will get both those things, he just needs to wake up his wife. But he can’t do it without the book. Kassandra had told him, that the book contains the spell to wake her up.

A metallic smell hit their nostrils. Blood. Alec immediately took out an arrow and prepared his bow. Jace pushed Clary behind himself. Robert and Valentine took out their seraph blades. Isabelle grabbed her whip. They all moved alerted to the direction of the smell. A faint sound of moaning was heard by the young ones. As if on a cue, they ran to the lobby. But, by the Angel, they did not expect such a horrible view.

There was a bloody path on the marble floor. From the door of the library to the wall covered with runes and old paintings. But still, it wasn’t the most horrible thing in there. There, in the middle of the floor were lying four bodies. Three adults and one child.

“Maryse! Max!” Robert screamed, running to them. Alec and Isabelle on his heels. Clary was standing too shocked to even see that it’s her brother who lay there as well. It was Valentine and Jace, who moved to the other two bodies.

“Dad, mom’s heart beats!” Isabelle screamed. She pulled out her stele and quickly drew an Iratze over Maryse’s stomach, near the ripped wound. The girl looked to the side, where her brother and father were. “Max…”

Robert was crying, so was Alec. Mr. Lightwood was holding the lifeless body of the boy in his arms. Tears were streaking down his cheeks. He was murmuring some things that were understandable.

Everything stopped. Time slowed down. Sounds went off. All eyes of the hunters were focused on the little boy’s body. There was no breath, no heart beating.

The realization hit them hard.

Max was dead.

Everything has gone blurred since then. None of the shadowhunters were registering what was happening around. A faint breaths were heard from somewhere. Gasp came from the left.

“Dad? ” A male voice came to their ears. Valentine looked down at his son. Jonathan's blonde hair was covered with blood. His eyes were dull. Blood was running down his neck. “Cla...ry?”

“We’re here, John.” The girl responded, kneeling by his brother’s side. “What happened?”

“Vamp...ieres...they came to the Institute...We were attacked by Santiago's clan…” the young man turned his head to the left and saw other hunters. “Max...Maryse...Kylios… I couldn’t save them...there were too many of the vampires. I don’t know how they walked in...I tried to…”

“It’s alright, my son,” Valentine whispered, before turning to Robert. “We must call for the Silent Brothers. We still have a chance to save Maryse. After that, we will go and kill Raphael Santiago.”

“I will rip his head off,” Alec growled, grabbing a cold hand of his little brother. “I will rip him apart, same as the rest of his vampires.”

“We will kill him, my son,” voiced Robert through his tears. “Slowly and painfully. He will pay for what he had done to Max and your mother. Raphael Santiago will die tonight. Angel will help us.”

He was hugging the cold body of his little son, close to his chest. He kissed the bloody crown of the boy’s head. Robert got up, as the Silent Brothers came inside the Institute. He walked towards brother Jeremiah and handed him his son.

“take good care of my little boy, Brother Jeremiah. And of my wife.” The other man just nodded and took the boy’s body from his father. Robert turned back to his children and Morgensterns. “Alec, you come with me.”

“I’ll go as well!” Isabelle and Jace said at the same time. Robert shook his head.

“Isabelle you stay right here with your mother. Alec and Jace will come with me.” Both boys came up to the older man. “Take your weapons. We’re going for a kill.”


	11. The bittersweet revenge

The night was the darkest of the nights in whole Alec’s life. The thick, cold air was filling his lungs slowly, making it hard to breathe. He was walking warily behind his father, his parabatai behind him. He could hear Robert’s quickened heartbeat and shallow breath. The older Lightwood was seething with rage, but Alec was the same. He was filled with rage and the wanting of revenge. He will kill Raphael Santiago and his companions. He will slaughter them all, and in the morning sun, he will watch their bodies burn to ashes. He knew that it won’t less his pain at all, but it will give him a bit of satisfaction.

“They must hide somewhere close,” Jace said quietly. “I can smell death.”

“There’s only the ruined hotel DuMont here,” Robert added, his voice still shaky from all tears. “Unless they’re hidden somewhere underground.”

“Dad, let’s go to the hotel,” Alec prompted and moved closer to his father. He grabbed him by his elbow and led towards the ruined thing.

Hotel DuMont used to be the best hotel in New York, at least that’s what the history books were saying. Magnus confirmed it too in one of his stories from his past.

Magnus…

In that very moment, the live image of his warlock lover hit his mind. He didn’t even spare a moment of thought to ponder on the wellbeing of Magnus. He hoped, truly hoped that Bane was alright and not killed like Kylios have been. Magnus couldn’t be dead, he was too strong.

Magnus was alive and well. Alec was convincing himself. He will find him when he’ll be back at the Institute, once he’ll kill Santiago. He will find his lover if he won’t die tonight himself.

“Alec?” Jace whispered, gently shaking his arm. “Come on, we’re going in.”

Once Jace shook him out of his thoughts, he followed his parabatai and a father into the ruined building. But there was a surprise waiting for them. An invisible shield had thrown them back on the street.

“What in the angel’s name?” Jace got up and tried to invade the place again, only to be thrown back for the second time. “I don’t get it.”

“It must be here,” said Robert, coming closer to the entrance. “They are hiding inside. Some warlock cast a protective spell or so at this. It must be it.”

“But who, dad?” Alec asked, scrunching his nose in displeasure. “Valentine killed Ragnor Fell, the old lover of Raphael Santiago. And there’s no more warlocks here, except for Magnus. So it couldn’t be either of them. Magnus has his magic bounded, and after Fell’s death the spell would be done.”

In that very moment, they heard some growling, coming from the darkness of the hotel. Alec reached for his bow on an instinct. Jace took out his seraph blade. The light of the blade enlighten a bit pitch black place. Alec came closer to Jace and his father. He stopped with his back pressed to Jace’s. They heard some light sounds of steps but they couldn’t say where it was coming from.

Then, a cold voice filled the place.

“You’ve made a mistake by coming here, shadowhunters.” Alec tried to focus on the voice, but he couldn’t tell where the owner of it was. “You will all die tonight. Mark my words. Especially you, Jace Morgenstern. You will be the first to die tonight. It’ll be my sweet revenge for your father.”

“Come out, Santiago! Come out and face me! You demon! You killed my child!” Robert shouted, getting angrier with every next second. Alec wanted to tell his dad to try to calm himself, so they wouldn’t die too fast, before they will have their revenge, but it was pointless. Lightwood rushed at the magical barrier. The black haired boy expected his father to be thrown back, like they have been before. But he was surprised.

Robert was pulled inside.

“Dad!”

“Robert!” both boys shouted at once. But the only sound they heard was a maniacal laugh and growlings.

“Dad!” Alec screamed again, and ran to the barrier. Unsurprisingly, he was thrown back. “Dad!”

“Run home, Alec Lightwood,” Santiago said through the darkness. “Or I’ll break my promise and kill you as well.” There was a small pause in his words, before he spoke up again. “Tell that scum that if he wants his loyal slave back, he’ll have to come here and take him from me. For now, I’ll have some fun with your father.”

A dead silence surrounded Alec and Jace. The blonde boy stared at the magical barrier with a hand clutched on his seraph blade. Alec stared in there as well. Million thoughts were running through his mind. The horrible image of the lifeless body of his little brother. Blood on the white floor. The shallow breath of his unconscious mother. A cold shiver went through his body and Alec sank down hard to the floor. His hands moved automatically to his face and covered his eyes, to prevent tears from falling down.

Another image of Max filled his mind. The boy was running towards him, smiling widely. He was calling Alec’s name, holding his arms out to him. The blue eyed boy wanted to catch him, but suddenly Max stopped. His eyes opened in terror as Raphael appeared next to him. The vampire smirked and slid his fangs out. He grabbed Max by his throat and lifted him. Alec wanted to rush towards them, but he found himself unable to do, he felt as he was glued to the cold ground.

A loud scream came to his ears. At first he thought that his mind is projecting Max’s screams, but it sounded too real. Then he heard Jace’s shouts.

“Robert!” Alec moved his eyes on him. Jace was trying to go through the barrier again, but was thrown back again. Raphael’s laugh was cutting through the screams. The screams of Robert Lightwood. It pierced through Alec’s heart. “Alec!” Jace turned to him. “We must call for father and John and Izzy. We must get your dad out, before that downworlder kills him!”

Alec was nodding, still hearing the horrible scream of his father. Absently he saw Jace taking out his phone and shouting to it.

He didn’t know, how much time passed, but suddenly there were a pair of familiar, warm arms around him and a smooth voice whispering to his ear.

“Alec.”

“Izzy...dad...mom...Max…”

“Silent Brothers healed mother. Magnus is by her side.” His mind trailed to the lovely warlock. “He’s good,” Izzy whispered again. “He was unconscious, but has no real injures. He’s good.”

At least one good news, Alec thought. He moved his eyes at Valentine and his both sons.

“...We can’t pass the barrier. It’s some magical thing. Powerfull.”

“Fell’s magic? It would be gone now, same as the filthy warlock…” This was followed by a loud growl from inside.

It was only a moment, a brief second. Then everything happened. As mundanes’ say all hell broke lose.

Raphael and a few of his vampires rushed outside the hotel. He grabbed Morgenstern by his throat and pulled inside. But, to Alec’s surprise it wasn’t Valentine who was pulled inside, but Jace. Isabelle, John and Valentine moved to attack other vampires. They quickly killed them off, after all, they weren’t much threat to Morgensterns. Everything was strange. No one was attacking Alec. Not the vampires, nor the werewolves who came to their help. They were avoiding him, which was too strange. Suspicious. Maybe Raphael planned something or him as well?

Suddenly he was hit with the body of his parabatai. Jace was thrown out of the hotel, with shivering body. At that, each hunter ran towards the blonde boy. Jace was squirming in pain, he couldn’t stop screaming. Once Alec got to him as well, he realized two things. One, Jace was bitten hard, a few times by a vampire - most likely Santiago himself - and two, werewolves disappeared. It was strange.

Isabelle took out her stele, but Alec stopped her. He took out his instead. Runes applied by the parabatai were stronger.

“Draw an Iratze, Alec” John instructed him, like he wouldn’t know. Alec turned Jace’s head to expose his neck, where the bite was. He drew the rune and waited for it to work. But it didn’t. Jace screamed in a pain.

“What in the Angel’s…” Valentine started, but was soon cut off by John.

“He poisoned him! We must take Jace to the Institute, fast.” He quickly took the other boy in his arms and instructed rushed as quickly as he could. The others followed him closely.

…

Alec sat next to Jace and his mother in the infirmary. He watched every movement of brother Jeremiah and Zachariah as they attended the wounds of his parabatai and mother.

“This must be some demonic poison. It may come from the blood of a greater daemon, but I can’t tell which,” Brother Zachariah said. “I sense a trail of warlock’s magic in Jace’s wounds. But I can’t comprehend how Raphael Santiago was able to use it.”

“He used to be with Ragnor Fell.” Valentine responded in his stoic voice. “He must have granted him some magic potions, created with blood.”

“Yes, this must be the truth, Valentine Morgenstern. Yet, I am unable to heal Jace. I can’t heal magic.” brother Jeremiah popped in. “You need a strong, magical healer, if you want your son to be alive.”

Valentine turned to Isabelle, who was standing next to her mother. “Call for Bane.”

A few moments later Magnus walked inside after Isabelle. Alec glanced at him. His face was filled with weariness. He bowed his head to Alec, before turning to the Silent Brothers.

“Brothers.”

“Magnus Bane,” they responded in union. “You were brought here to tend the wounds of Jace Morgenstern.”

“I am to be his nurse? Really? I can’t apply runes if you forgot,” he turned to Valentine. “I can’t help the boy.”

“You used to be a warlock. You know magic. Heal my son. It’s an order.”

Magnus glared at him and turned to the bed, where the boy laid. He waved Alec off with a small smile and told everyone but brother Zachariah to leave. He stated that he needs someone with a brain to work with. Everyone seemed to understand it and left the place.

Once outside, brother Jeremiah turned to Alec and Isabelle.

“We shall move to the Silent City to bury your brother. Your servants can be buried in the local cemetery.”

Bury. Brother. Max’s funeral. He wasn’t sure if he could survive this.

“We need to find a solution to get Robert out. If he’s still alive…” Valentine’s voice filled the hall. “I can’t believe that Santiago had a nerve to capture Robert and attack my son. I thought that the kill of his lover would teach him a lesson…”

Then, something broke in Alec. A wave of rage went through him. He got up from the floor and launched himself at Valentine. He was punching him right in his face.

“It’s your fault! Max is dead! Mom and Jace are dying! Dad can be dead too! It’s all because of you!” he was throwing punches on him. “You killed the warlock, it’s all because of you!!!”

“Alec! Alec!” Isabelle tried to pry him off of Valentine. “Alec!”

“You should be dead instead of Max! You!” he shouted and pushed the man at the nearest wall. Then he turned to his sister. “I’ll find a way to get into Hotel and rescue dad. Stay with mom, Isabelle.”

Alec went back to Hotel DuMont and waited for the dawn. He was sure that Santiago knew about his presence. He called him out once. And for once, he was successful.

“I think I told you to go home, Alec Lightwood.”

“You killed my brother. My mother is dying. My parabatai as well.” he snapped at him. “I will kill you.”

“I’m not the devil in this game, Alec Lightwood.” They were eyeing one another, waiting for the other to attack. “I haven’t killed your brother. I could never walk into the Institute. The devil is close to you, but you are all blind. The devil is inside your den, Lightwood. Just realize it.”

With that, he disappeared back in the hotel, leaving Alec in the darkness of the night with a heart broken in a million pieces and a confused mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next one, there'll be Malec's moments. I promise! I swear on the Angel! ;) I'll give you some sweet moments.


	12. Make my heart whole again

It was a fifth night in a row, when Magnus had heard him. A horrible howl went through the hallways of the New York Institute. The warlock got up silently from his bed, being careful to not wake Sathera up; the poor woman was heartbroken after Kylios recent death. Magnus was sad too. He liked the male werewolf. He was a good man.

Bane moved upstairs on the instinct. The screams never stopped. The closer he got, the louder they were becoming. He grabbed the knob and turned it, opening the door.

The room was consumed in a darkness. Only a small witchlight was lying on the nightstand. He silently moved to the bed and sat next to the trembling body. In the dim light, he could see the lines of the young man’s body. Magnus placed his warm hand on the small back of the other man’s and whispered to his ear.

“All is well, Alexander. I’m here. Wake up, Alexander. Wake up.”

The screams stopped, but the boy never woke up. Instead he started to cry, with his eyes closed. Magnus’s heart was breaking on this view. Only recently he realized that he has some feelings for the boy. He no longer saw Alec as the object of his mission. The blue eyed boy has become something more. Dangerous to his old heart.

Magnus put his arms around Alec and drew him closer to his chest. He moved his hand into the boy’s black hair and massaged his scalp, whispering sweet-nothings to his ear.

“My darling Alexander, my little angel.” Alec’s body was relaxing against his own. Yet, Bane never stopped calming him down. Finally, after what is seemed to be forever, Alec’s arms tightened around Magnus’s body. He moved his face up and hid it in the crook of Magnus’s neck, breathing steadily into his skin. “My blue eyed angel. My sweet Alexander.”

“Magnus…”

“I’m here, my darling. I’m here.” the teary blue eyes met with the cat eyes filled with warmth. Alec sobbed silently into Magnus’s chest. “Don’t cry my little angel, don’t cry.”

“He didn’t deserve to die,” Alec whispered, clutching warlock’s shirt in his hand. “He was innocent.”

“Of course he was. Your brother was just an innocent victim.” Magnus confirmed. “I’m so sorry that I was unable to protect him. Someone knocked me out pretty badly.”

“I need to kill him. I need to kill Santiago.”

“Alec…” Magnus started with a distant voice. “He couldn’t do it. No vampire can walk into the Institute unless he’s invited or the protection is taken down. Even if so, a vampire can’t walk further than the sanctuary. To get to the sanctuary, he’d have to walk near our quarters. I assure you I would feel them before I was knocked out. I would feel death. It couldn’t be any vampire.”

“You’re just protecting him, because he was the lover of your friend.” Alec’s voice was as sharp as knife. “I know that Ragnor Fell was your friend. I know that Santiago wants a revenge for his death.”

“You are right,” Bane admitted. “Ragnor was my best friend, a brother to me. So I understand very well how you feel. Yet, I’m not seeking revenge, nor Raphael is...maybe he is seeking a revenge. For sure he is…” Alec opened his mouth to say something, but Magnus didn’t let him speak. “But he’s not a monster. He wouldn’t kill a child. He’s not a devil.”

_ “I’m not a devil in this game, Alec Lightwood.” _ Alec heard the vampire’s voice in his head. He looked warily at Magnus. It couldn’t be a coincidence that Magnus and Raphael used the same words.

“... do everything to take your pain away, my blue eyed angel. I wish I could do it…” Magnus’s words came to his ears. He slightly shook his head and smiled weakly. Bane was giving him everything he needed in this moment. Closeness, warmth and comfort. It wasn’t a good time to think of Raphael Santiago. “Alexander?”

“Devil…” it slipped out. Magnus looked at him dumbfounded. “What did you say?”

“I think you should rest now, Alec. You’re tired. Sleep, I’ll keep your nightmares at bay.” He offered him a warm smile and stroked his cheek lovingly. Magnus whispered something to him in a language that Alec doesn’t know. He looked questioningly at the warlock. “It’s my mother tongue.”

“It’s nice.” he responded sleepily. Magnus was keeping his hand in Alec’s hair, stroking his head. With every next second Alec’s eyes were becoming heavier. Finally he closed them, hearing the last whisper of Magnus, as some strange tingling consumed his whole body.

“Sleep well, my angel.”

* * *

 

The next night, Magnus found himself in Alec’s bedroom again. The young boy was trashing on the bed, whimpering and muttering his little brother’s name. The warlock brought Alec up and pressed to his chest. He felt every shiver of the boy’s body against his own. Magnus kissed his cheek and then whispered straight to his ear.

“Come back to me, my darling angel. Come back to me.”

It took a few minutes of comforting and a kiss on the lips for Alec to open his eyes wide in shock. The boy blinked a few times, before he focused his sight on Magnus.

“Mags?”

“Hello, darling.” he smiled at the boy and pushed his black hair out of his eyes, only to reveal them teary. Magnus rose his hand and placed on the boy’s cheek. He stroked it lovingly a few times, wiping the tears that escaped the blue eyes of his lover. “Oh, Alexander…” he sighed. “It hurts me, when you’re in pain.”

“I can’t stop seeing him in my nightmares. He’s covered in blood and he’s calling my name.” Alec sobbed. “Why could I not save him? I’m his brother. It was my job to protect him! I disappointed him!”

“Alec...you didn’t disappoint Max!!” Magnus stated firmly. “Max was proud to be your brother. He admired you. He told me that one time.”

“I could save him. I should stay with them in the Institute…”

“Darling, if the intruder was able to knock out your mother and me and John and kill… you wouldn’t stand him. He could kill you as well.”

“Maybe it would be for the best. I should be dead instead of Max” Alec’s voice was filled with pain. Magnus grabbed him firmly by his jaw and made him look into his cat eyes.

“Don’t you dare say it. Don’t even think of it! It would break my heart, Alexander. If something would happen to you…” Magnus cut himself off, not wanting to reveal his heart to Alec. It was true. Alec was close to him. Way closer that he assumed he could get when Magnus assigned himself for this mission. He didn’t expect that he will develop any feelings towards the boy. Yet, it seemed that his heart decided otherwise. It decided to open itself for the boy. Widely. Even though it was as dangerous as hell.

Alec mumbled a quiet apology and grabbed Magnus’s hand into his own, interlocking their fingers. He brought their hands up to his mouth and kiss them lightly.

“Thank you.” Magnus looked at him quite confused. “For being here. For helping me. For everything.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Alexander.” Bane kissed him slowly on his lips. It was a short kiss, but Alec returned it, equally sweetly. “I will do everything for you.”

“Everything?” the boy asked, squeezing the hand of his lover. “Take my mind off of those images for a while.”

“Do you need me to sing to you that song again?” Alec shook his head in response. Instead he let go of Magnus’s hand and moved his own hands to the hem of his sleep-shirt. In one, swift move he took it off and moved himself closer to Magnus. The warlock licked his lips on the sight of a bare chest covered in black runes. “Alexan…”

“Distract me.” Magnus looked unsurely at him.

He knew, at least he hoped he read this sign well and that it meant what it seemed to, yet, he wanted a clarification. He didn’t move, when Alec got up from the bed and took his stele. He didn’t move when Alec went to the door and put a soundless and closing rune on them. He didn’t move when Alec came back to bed and sat down on his lap. He didn’t move, when the boy captured his lips in a hungry kiss.

He moved, when Alec pulled back, before he could respond to the kiss.

“You don’t want me?” Lightwood asked clearly shocked by such behaviour. “I thought that you…”

“I want you, Alec. In every possible way. But I don’t think that sex is what you need right now.” he tried to reason the boy. “You’re stressed, tired, angry...You should rest, Alec.”

“I know, what I want” the blue eyed stated. He put his hand on the back of the warlock’s head and drew him closer. Their lips were only inches from each other. A warm breath of his was tingling Magnus’s face-skin. “I want you. Tonight. Here.” he took one of Magnus’s hands and placed it on his lower back, just above the waistline of his pajama pants. “I’ve dreamed about it for far too long.”

“I’ve been dreaming too. ” Magnus admitted, lowering his hand almost at the butt of the boy. The boy in question didn’t jump off of his lap. “So many times…”

“Then do it to me. Everything we’ve done in your dreams.” Alec whispered wantonly to his ear. His other hand traveled down the warlock’s clothed chest, yet it sent him a million shivers. “Every, single thing.”

By this moment, Magnus was excited. His body was slowly showing it. But before he gave in to the desire, he looked deeply into the blue eyes of his beloved boy.

“Are you sure, Alec?” Lightwood only nodded, licking his lips in anticipation again. “Ok. If at any moment you’ll want to stop, just tell me. I will stop. I promise, I’ll be as gentle as I can with you. I will…” Alec decided that Magnus needs to stop his ramble. He kissed him, silencing him.

Alexander was a skillful kisser. Once Magnus had taught him how to french kiss, the boy found out that he loves this way of kissing. So far, after this a few months Magnus and he started their thing, he knew every single way to make the warlock dizzy and excited. He pushed his hand into the long black hair and gave it a hard tug. Magnus couldn’t stop himself from moaning shamelessly into the younger one’s mouth.

Alec pushed Magnus’s flat on the bed with his body and hovered over him. His blue eyes were no longer full of tears, but there were full of lust now. His pupils were slightly bigger. It was a sign that the boy wanted this, badly. So who was Magnus to deny his beautiful lover this pleasure?

Once again, Lightwood devoured Bane’s mouth. This time, he got a quick response from the other man. With one hand of his he grabbed the hem of the warlock’s shirt and gave it a tug, indicating that he wants to remove it. Magnus obeyed his Master then. Soon his black shirt covered the floor of Alec’s bedroom. It wasn’t the first time Alec had seen Magnus shirtless. They took off their shirts in front of each other before, during make-out sessions at the attic. But still, seeing the caramel body with slight muscles forced the boy to let out a loud moan.

One could think that Alec Lightwood would be shy in the bedroom as well as he is in the outside life. But boy, you were so wrong. Once Alec learned a few things, he turned out to be a pretty wild in the bedroom. Always demanding. Always craving for more. Always wanting to try out new things. But it could be dictated by his teenage hormonal body or the lack of any sexual activities in the previous years. Magnus couldn’t decide which was the right answer. Nevertheless, he liked this side of Alec. It was dangerous and exciting. And most importantly it was fun.

“Stop daydreaming and get me naked.” Alec got him out of his thoughts by those words and the sound of unbuttoning. Magnus looked down and spotted Alec’s hand unzipping his leather pants. “You better think about me.”

“I’m thinking of all things I’m going to do to you tonight, my sweet boy.”

“Then stop talking and do them, Magnus.”

“As you wish, My Master.” Bane grinned wickedly and switched their position. Now he was on the top. Both of them naked and equally aroused. Magnus leaned and stole one, hungry kiss from the boy, before he lowered his hand to Alec’s groin.

Then the magic started, as they say. The bedroom of the shadowhunter was filled with heavy breaths, moans of pleasure and the sound of slick bodies. Somewhere between you could hear the groans mixed with shouting each other’s names.

* * *

 

When Alec sounded safe and asleep, after two hours of pure sex, Magnus walked out of his bedroom. Just when he closed the door, as silently as he could. He felt a grab on his arm. Immediately, the sparks of his magic appeared at the tips of his fingers.

“Magnus.” A feminine, light voice filled his ears.

“Jesus Christ, Clary. I’m immortal, but I can have a heart attack.” he turned to the redhead girl.

Miss Fray dragged him to her bedroom, which was next door to Alec’s and closed the door behind them. She put a soundless rune on her door and beckoned at the warlock.

“I have something for you,” she whispered, as if someone could still hear them. Magnus was sure that no one could, since she put the rune. The girl pulled out a stash of tarot cards out of her drawer. At the top there was a card with some cup.

“Cards?” he asked confused. “Thank you? I don’t know how to set a tarot. I’m not skilled in this area.”

“Look closer, Magnus.” Indeed he looked at the card again. The cup was somehow familiar to him. Then it hit him.

“The mortal cup…”

“Yes. I have it. It seems that I had it whole my life.” Magnus was still confused. “My mom made these for our neighbour witch. I mean, back then I thought that she’s only seeing the future in cards and so, but turns out she was a real witch...never mind. I took them once I’ve found out that she’s dead.”

“I’m sorry,” he expressed truly. “But still, how can you have a cup. You only have cards, how this will lead us to the cup?”

“You’re holding the Mortal Cup right now.” Magnus didn’t think that he could get more confused. Yet it just happened. “Here, let me show you.” She took the card out of his hands and looked at him. “The other day, fath...Valentine was telling me story about him and mom. He told me that when she was pregnant with me, he gave her special shots with angel’s blood and it improved her skills. He tried to find out if I have the same skills as her. I do, but I haven’t told him. He told me that mom was able to do it. That’s how I figured out where it is.”

“Do what?”

“This.” Clary put her hand into the card and a second later she took out the Mortal Cup from it.

Magnus was shocked by this. He was blinking in disbelief, when Clary offered him the cup. He took it into his hands and it gave him a small electric shock. He knew it was the real cup. It reacted to his demonic blood. An unconscious smile came up on his lips. He finally had it. After all those years. He had a way to end this all. He had a way to bring the right order to the Shadow world.

“Thank you,” he whispered, still looking at the instrument in his hands. “Thank you, Clary.”

“It’s yours. I kept my part of the deal. Now wake up my mom.” she demanded, glaring him a bit.

“Of course. Tomorrow morning. I’ll wake your mother up. I know where she is now. I will fulfil the deal, little shadowhunter.” he reassured her. “I will wake your mother up. Just as I promised.”

He gave the cup back to her and ordered to put it back into the card. He couldn’t keep it in the Institute like that. Once she accomplished it, she gave the card back to him. They parted their ways after that. Magnus returned to his room with a smile on his lips. He shot a glance over the sleeping body of Sathera, the only remaining slave in the Institute, sans him. The woman was sleeping heavily. Bane grabbed a small paper from the nightstand and a black pen he stole from the library. He quickly wrote down a small note and sent it as a fire message, straight to Raphael Santiago.

**I have the Mortal Cup.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I promised some Malec moment and here you go. In the next one, we'll get to see Raphael-Magnus plotting again ;) Stay tuned! Thanks for all comments, kudos and reading.


	13. The heartbreaking truth

 

Raphael couldn’t be happier, when he received the message from his warlock friend a night ago. He looked down at the crumpled note a few times, before he let it sink into his mind. They have the Mortal Cup. He can defeat Valentine. Finally, after all those years. This was too beautiful.

“Raphael?” he heard the voice of his right-hand, Josh, through the door of his bedroom. “Garroway is here to see you. He said he got the message from Magnus Bane.”

This was interesting. Raphael thought that Bane was contacting only him. The vampire got up from his bed and opened the old wooden door. He looked at the blonde haired, pale male with a silent question in his black eyes, before he followed him to the throne room.

“Consul Santiago,” the werewolf approached him officially. Raphael scrunched his nose. Luke smelled like a wet dog. It must have been raining outside. The man took out a small, white note from his camel suede jacket. He handed it to Raphael. Santiago took it from his warm hand and read it.

‘I’ll wake her up tonight. Be ready. Come close to the Institute and I’ll lead her outside.’

“Her? Who is he addressing in this?” Raphael asked.

“Jocelyn,” the werewolf responded. “But why did he send the message to me? He knows it’s risky.”

“It is strange, yes,” Santiago was concluding. It was indeed very strange. It wasn’t in Magnus’s style. The warlock was only sending the messages when it was truly needed, and only to Raphael. “I will look into this. Do not go to the Instit…”

Suddenly there was a loud shriek heard in the whole hotel. The vampire cursed silently in Spanish, forgetting about his little problem in all this joy. Luke looked at him meaningfully, silently demanding an answer.

“I kept a small...souvenir from the last visit of the Shadowhutners,” there was a wicked smirk on his lips. Luke just rose his right eyebrow at him. “Do not bother about it, werewolf. It is mine concern.”

“Who are you keeping in there?”

“Robert Lightwood.” Luke’s eyes were wide open at those words. “I’ll only keep him a bit longer, just to spite Valentine.”

“Let me tell you one thing,” Garroway took a step closer to him and leaned towards him. “Valentine does not care about anyone beside himself. He won’t come for Robert. He doesn’t need him. Believe me. He wanted to kill me, he threw me to the woods so the werewolves could kill me. And I was his best friend, his parabatai. Do you truly believe he will care about Robert’s wellbeing? You could slit Robert’s throat on his eyes and he wouldn’t bother.”

“Hm…” he hummed, scratching his chin. That would explain why he hadn’t come for his loyal comrade. “You may be right. Maybe I should take his precious daughter instead?”

“Leave Clary out of this.” Luke growled at him. His eyes changed to golden. “She’s mine. So is Jocelyn.”

“Be that way. I leave your family out of this.” Raphael looked deeply in his eyes. His cold breath mixed with the hot one of the werewolf. “But you must be ready to kill Valentine. If you won’t kill him, I’ll kill you.”

“I’ll be the first one to sink my teeth in his neck. Mark my words.” Santiago was satisfied with this answer. He wasn’t sure if Luke would be so adamant to kill his former friend. He was truly surprised. “What should I do with Bane’s note?”

“Don’t do anything. I’ll find a way whether it was him or not. I believe it may be a trap.”

“Give me a call then. Send Josh to my station. Goodbye, Consul Santiago.”

When Raphael came back to his bedroom, he opened the black wooden drawer. There was a small, silver bag laying on the old picture of Ragnor and himself. Lately, the vampire had to hide all of the pictures of himself and his lover. It hurt him too much to look at them. His dead heart was in pain, even though it was impossible.

He shook his head and quickly grabbed the bag. He couldn’t think about his lover at this moment. He couldn’t face Magnus with bloodshot eyes and dried blood on his cheeks. He opened it and poured the golden dust on his left hand. With his right hand he wrote down a small note and sent it immediately.

A few minutes later, he felt himself getting lightheaded. Soon his body collapsed to the floor and he felt the hell’s coldness surrounding his body.

“What? I was in the middle of something.” Raphael looked at his companion. Magnus stood before him with no shirt on and with red marks on his chest. When the vampire pointed at them, the warlock only shrugged his arms. “I’m getting the information.”

“With sex?”

“That’s the best way.” Raphael sighed annoyed. “What do you want, for real?”

“What’s with the message to Garroway?” Magnus’s cat eyes enlarged in a shock. He snatched the note from Santiago’s hand and read it silently. He looked at his friend, then back at the note then again at Raphael, before he spoke up.

“This isn’t my note. This isn’t my writing.” A few blue sparks shot from his hand and whirled around the paper. “It’s not even my magic. It’s some lesser magic. Kassandra… Oh fuck.”

“What?”

“I think they may know about the reason I’m in the Institute.”

This wasn’t good. This was terrible. This was a true disaster. Armageddon even. For a brief moment, Raphael didn’t know what to do with this information. Many scenarios went through his mind, but none of it was good enough. He fisted his hands hard. His knuckles turned white. He didn’t know when he started to pace around the Edomus.

“So, what now?” Magnus asked, looking meaningfully at him. “What do we do?”

“First, we need to be sure, they know about our mission. Maybe it’s their response to me keeping Lightwood. They try to call us out.” This could be a true. Maybe shadowhunters didn’t know a single thing, maybe they are bluffing. Raphael decided to believe this, until he has a real proof for the failure of his plan. “For now, let’s play their game, while they will play ours. You must hasten our plan. Find out about some plans of theirs…”

“Alec said that they are preparing for a hunt tonigh… Oh...they will want to attack you.”

“Did he say where?”

“They will start near the docks. Then they will move towards Chinato…” Suddenly Magnus cut himself off. Santiago looked at him with a concern. “This note, it came to Luke last night, right?” Raphael nodded to that. “It wasn’t an information note. It’s a locating note. They wanted to know where werewolves stay…” Magnus grabbed him by his elbow and squeezed it hard. Of course, Raphael wasn’t hurt by that. “You must warn them.”

“I will.” He confirmed, before he toned down his voice. “Do you have the cup with you?”

“No, but it’s safe. In the Institute. Here, look” he waved his hand and a tarot card showed up in the middle of his hand. There was indeed a drawing of the cup on it, but it wasn’t the Mortal Cup. “This is the Mortal Cup.”

“It’s a tarot card.”

“The cup is hidden inside. No one can take it out, except for two people. Even I can’t do it.” Raphael’s face was slowly filling with rage. “Relax. Clary will take it out when I need it. Or Jocelyn, once I’ll wake her tonight.”

“Very well...I...trust you with this.” It was hard to say. Raphael wasn’t easy to trust people. Especially Magnus, who was easy to trust people, who betrayed him in the end. But then, he had to trust the warlock. He was the only one who he had. He was the only closest thing to a family that he has now, since Ragnor is dead. “I do trust you.”

“Ok,” he smiled a bit. “I’ll send you back and you warn Luke, ok? And let Robert out of the hotel. Let him come back. Alec needs his father.” When the vampire nodded, Magnus touched his cold arm and whispered the spell in a demonic language. Raphael’s body started to flicker and soon, he disappeared from Edomus.

Once he was back in his body, he immediately sent Josh to the werewolves station to give them a warning. He just hoped, he wasn’t too late. After all, Luke was a loyal companion in a battle.

* * *

 

Alec woke up alone in the bed, which wasn’t truly strange. Magnus always made sure to leave his bed, before any of the residents rose. They couldn’t be seen together in a compromising position. Not only Alec hadn’t revealed his sexual orientation to no one, except for Izzy, but as well Magnus was a downworlder, his supposed to be enemy. Yet, Alec didn’t care about it. He liked Magnus Bane, very much. Maybe it was even something more. Sometimes his feelings scared him. His heart was going crazy for the warlock and he couldn’t stop this, nor he wanted to.

The young shadowhunter walked out of the bedroom and bumped into John.

“Alec, how nice that you’re awake already.” The wicked scary grin came up on the blonde face. “We have to talk.”

“Talk?” Alec swallowed hard. Up close, John was scary, especially his cold look. “About?”

“You shall see. Should we go to your bedroom?” Even though it was a question, Alec felt that he can’t say no to this. He opened the door of the room and let John walk in first. He closed the door behind them and leaned on the door. “I see you are alone now. Of course, it’s already past six.”

“Alone?” Alec’s voice was filled with small confusion and fear. Could John know about his affair with Magnus?

“Well, you secret lover isn’t here.” Alec’s face was even paler than usual. His body started to shake, as always when he was nervous. “Don’t worry. Only I know, and Isabelle apparently. And my sister had seen Magnus once, as he walked out of your bedroom in the middle of the night. You don’t have to be afraid. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Why?” he finally managed to say.

“We all have our secrets, don’t we?” It was suspicious. Alec felt that in the every fiber of his body. John wasn’t that good. It wasn’t just right. He eyed the older boy, waiting for the rest of his speech. “I’m sure you fell in love with him. Who wouldn’t, right? Handsome, tall, loveable.” Alec didn’t like where this was going. “I can’t blame you. It was a matter of a time, before you’ll give him your heart away. Who knows, maybe he enchanted you. He is a magical creature.”

“He has his magic bounded,” Alec popped in.

“Does he? His father is a greater demon. Do you really think his magic could be bounded with a simple spell? He’s not stupid.” He continued, sitting comfortably on Alec’s bed. The blue eyed boy didn’t move from his leaning spot. “Indeed, he’s very smart. He chose someone shy, yet very smart, who has a way to find out about everything what concerns us. It was obvious why he didn’t lure Isabelle or me or Jace. Not because we’re not gay, but because we aren’t in a position to get every information for him.”

“What are you talking about?” There was a pity in John’s eyes when he looked at Alec. He patted the empty space next to himself on Alec’s bed. The boy knew that it was a silent command for him. He took small steps towards the other shadowhunter and cautiously sat down next to him, leaving a few inches of space between them.

“He was playing you, from the very first day he came here.” This couldn’t be true. Magnus wasn’t like that. Alec shook his head to those words. “Think of it. Why he was so persistent to be close with you. Why he let himself being brought here in the first place? And more importantly, how in the Angel’s name vampires and werewolves were aware of our attack?”

Morgenstern gave him a pointed look. Alec couldn’t comprehend this. It was too surreal. Magnus couldn’t betray him like that. He couldn’t. Not after the confession he said last night, when he thought that Alec is sleeping.

_ “I think I’m falling for you, Alexander. I believe I love you.” _

This wasn’t real. This couldn’t be real. Alec refused to believe in Magnus’s betrayal.

“I just wonder, how he’s informing them. There are wards around the Institute. He can’t perform magic here…” John was thinking out loud. “I wonder.”

Alec was lost in his head. All the memories of the sweet moments between him and Magnus weren’t real? It was only a game for the warlock? A way to get information from Alec? Indeed, the boy was telling him things, but he never thought that he could be betrayed because of them.

Alexander fisted his hands. Magnus played his feelings, his heart. Alec let him inside his heart, let himself fall for the older man, let himself feeling love for him. And Bane only played him for important information about shadowhutners. The blue eyed boy felt tears building in his eyes. Any moment now he will let them out, even in front of Jonathan.

It was just too much.

“Hey, it’s not really your fault,” John wiped a single tear from his cheek with a thumb. “But there is a way for you to get back at him. Actually, I need you to do it.”

“What?” he sniffled.

“I need you to act like always. Kiss him, sleep with him. Let him know about our plans.” Alec didn’t understand it at all. “But on the other hand, listen to his every word and then you’ll be telling me everything he said or done.”

Alexander really didn’t want to do it. He couldn’t do this to Magnus.

“If you won’t…” John’s voice was cold and stern at that moment. “I will reveal your little secret to your mother and my father. And I know you don’t want this, Alec.” He got up from the bed and patted Alec’s head. “Do not fail me, Alexander. You do not want to meet my rage.”

When Alec was left alone with his thoughts, he let himself cry. It was too much. He couldn’t believe it. Magnus, his lovely Magnus betrayed him like that. He played his heart for his favors. Alec screamed into his pillow. He loved, yes he loved Magnus and now he felt that the heart, once filled with love, now was breaking into a million pieces. Each piece is as sharp as glass, cutting him open with every thought of the warlock.

A soft knock on his door made him sat up on his bed. He wiped his face of the remaining tears, hoping that his eyes aren’t bloodshot red. He invited the person inside.

For a moment, his broken heart froze.

Magnus Bane stood before him with a soft smile on his lips.

“Are you alright, darling?” He came closer to the bed and sat down next to Alec. The boy fought down the urge to flinch from his touch. He couldn’t let Magnus know about his pain. He would play his game a bit longer, even if he will be beyond repair later. “Darling?”

“I am alright, Magnus. Now that you are here, I’m good.” He leaned up to kiss the lips of his betraying lover. “I’m good with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who ever read my stories on FF.net I'm starting a new project which will be my last for this fandom and fanficion altogether. I'm re-writing Maybe We Are A Fairytale. The new version will be slightly changed, improved and most importantly it will contain pictures from the story.   
> For now, you can still read the old version here https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10167767/1/Maybe-we-are-a-fairytale
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcomed.


	14. Whatever I am, you made me this way

For the past few days, Magnus was living in some kind of dream. At least, he thought it was a dream. The one you don’t know what to think about. In one hand, one could tell that he should be flowing with a joy. Yet, the other one could tell that it was already too damn suspicious.

Almost over a night, Alec’s behavior changed. He became more affectionate towards Magnus. In fact, he didn’t even try to hide his feelings. He often was sending him a warm smile. His eyes lit up whenever he saw Magnus. He invited him to his bed every night, and didn’t ask him to leave when the dawn approached. Even more, he insisted for Magnus to stay with him and embrace him after a whole night of sexual encounters.

It was like Alec’s became braver over one night. As if Alec became stronger with himself over a night.

Magnus should feel happy because of this change. Yet, there was something in his mind that was telling him to not trust it. He just didn’t know what was it.

* * *

 

Alec was sitting in the library, reading the Codex once again, despite the fact that he knows every single paragraph from there.

“What’re you doing, big brother?” he heard Isabelle’s voice behind his back. The black haired girl walked around the chair Alec was sitting at, and sat down in the armchair. Lightwood sighed loudly and turned another page in the book. “Why aren’t you with your hot warlock? He’s been looking for you.”

“I need to study.” He didn’t have to raise his eyes on Izzy to know that she’s been rolling her eyes on him. “And I’m waiting for John and Jace to come back from Idris.”

“Mhm,” she murmured, closing the book with a strong slap. “What’s going on? You’re all secretive lately. You and John. Why are you hiding from me?”

“Nothing.” Isabelle jumped on Alec’s lap and shoved the book to the floor. She grabbed the boy’s chin hardly and forced her brother to look her in the eyes. “It’s nothing, Iz.”

“It sure is something. You’ve been acting strange. I want to know why. Is it because of dad? Raphael released him and dad will be fine,” she was saying. “Brother Enoch says that he should heal in a few weeks.”

“It’s not about dad.”

“Mom?” Alec shook his head. “Jace? Me?...” for a moment she paused herself. “Oh...are you in love with John or something? You’ve spent lots of time with him lately. I wouldn’t blame you. He’s kinda hot.”

“Ew...no, Izzy.” Alec shrugged his body at this thought. Yes, Jonathan was handsome, but Alec could never like him this way. He was cruel and betraying.

But on the other hand, the man that Alec loves betrayed him as well.

Maybe it was his curse. He draws the dangerous, betraying man to himself.

“Alec?!” He looked at her frowning face. “You didn’t answer. Is it about Magnus?”

The boy took a deep breath and decided to tell his sister only the half of truth, to protect her.

“I think I love him.” The brown eyes of Isabelle Lightwood light up with happiness. Her face brightened with a wide grin. But it only lasted for a moment. Suddenly her eyes got sadder and her smile dropped down. She grabbed Alec by his right hand and gave him a light squeeze, before she drew him to her chest.

“Does he feel the same?” she whispered straight to his ear. “Alec?”

“He said so.” Once again she smiled, stroking Alec’s cheek. “But that’s not what worries me.”

“Then what is it?”

“He’s…” Alec started but decided to cut himself off. He couldn’t tell Izzy the truth. She was friends with Magnus. And most importantly, if she knew she’d seek revenge on him, before they could find out about downworlders’ plan. He had to play a little longer.

Before Isabelle could demand an answer from him, he was saved by Jonathan, Jace and Valentine who came through the portal. Alec let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. The boy urged his sister to get up from his lap. When the girl complied, after letting out a small growl, which was a promise of interrogation later - Alec was sure of it - he got up from the chair as well. He walked to the three men and looked at their faces. Jace was looking clearly annoyed. John’s expression was as cold as always. And Valentine… he was mad, truly mad. His eyes were glistening with rage.

“Did you manage to find her?” Alec asked, though Morgenstern’s face was enough answer.

“No.” His voice sharp as a knife. “She disappeared from Idris, before we got there. Clary as well. They must have used runes to hide themselves from me. But they had a help from some warlock. I sensed magic.”

Two nights ago, suddenly, by some kind of miracle, Jocelyn Fray, aka Jocelyn Morgenstern, woke up from the coma-spell. But before Valentine could express his joy from awaking of his long-lost wife, she ran away to the library. It had to be planned, Alec was sure. Maybe by Clary herself. Both, Jocelyn and Clary escaped the New York Institute and New York itself. From that night, Valentine had gone mad, one could say. He forced Jace and Jonathan to look for her, yet there was no result in this.

“Maybe Magnus could recognize the magic?” Alec prompted his idea. For a moment, Valentine seemed to consider this, but soon he shook his head.

“It is pointless. I know where she probably is. She must be with that werewolf.” He growled. Ah yes, Alec knows the story of the Morgensterns’ marriage and the story of Valentine’s parabatai, the one who betrayed him and their kind. Valentine turned to his sons. “I will bring your mother and sister home, my sons. Mark my words.”

“That woman is not my mother.” Jace hissed at his father.

It was another reveal that came out to the light. Jace was not a biological son of Valentine Morgenstern. In one hand, it was a relief for him, since he’s been harboring feelings for Clary. On the other, he seemed to be lost in the last days. Like he had lost his own personality and soul. He once came to Alec, with tears in his eyes, asking him for advice. Asking him to not abandon him. Asking him to be with him, even though he has no idea who he was at the moment. It was a night full of confessions.

Alec admitted his secrets as well.

“She is my wife,” Valentine corrected him. “And, I raised you since I took you in, after your parents died. I am your father, Jace. And Jocelyn is your mother.”

“You may be my adoptive father, but she’s not my mother.” With that, he turned on his heel and left the library, shutting the door loudly after himself.

“Forgive him, father,” Jonathan spoke up, turning his eyes on Valentine. “He’s not taking the news very well. He seems to refuse to accept that nothing has changed for us. He’s still your son and my little brother.”

Valentine agreed with this and left the library, leaving Alec, John and Izzy by themselves.

“Come with me, Alec,” John addressed him, beckoning his fingers at him. “I need to talk to you. Privately.”

The look in the cold, black eyes told Alec that they will be talking about Alec’s lover. For sure John wanted to know if Alec knows anything new. And frankly, the boy had some news. Alexander nodded to his request and followed him to his bedroom. On the way there, he was looking from side to side, trying to spot Magnus, but the warlock was nowhere to seen. Valentine had to grab him to do something already. It was better for Alec, otherwise, it would be hard to explain why he’s been following John to his bedroom.

Once the older boy closed the door behind them, Alec looked around the room. It was the first time that he was in John’s bedroom for a longer than a minute. Now he had some time to look closer at things. In many aspects, John’s bedroom was like Jace’s and Alec’s. The minimalist look. White walls, one, big bed, almost in the middle of the room. A closet and a drawer. But there was something odd on the wall, next to the closet. There were some pictograms, or runes on it, yet Alec didn’t recognize them at all.

Jonathan cleared his throat behind him and made him turn to look at the light-haired boy.

“So…”

“I heard him speaking to someone.” Morgenstern gave him a pointed look. “But Magnus was in a deep sleep then. At first I thought that he talks in his sleep, you know, but then I heard some plans.”

“What kind of plans?” the other boy inquired, sitting down on his bed.

“All he said was…”

_ Alec woke up in the middle of the night, feeling Magnus stir in the bed. He looked over at his immortal lover. The warlock had a peaceful face. Alec could look at him all night. It seemed that Bane had a pleasant dream, a small smile appeared on his face. If only he didn’t betray Alexander, he could see this every night. But frankly, Alec was sure that this will soon pass. When the truth will come out in the light. _

_ Suddenly his lover’s body started to glow with a blue light. It was odd. The archer raised his hand to shake Magnus awake, but then he heard his murmuring. At first he couldn’t understand, but when he moved himself closer, he heard a few words. _

_ “He can’t be harmed. Promise me. No. I will help you end them, but not Alexander. We will attack. We must attack soon. They know. They suspect. I am safe. But not for long. I’ll be the holder. I’ll use it properly.” _

“Attack soon?” Jonathan scratched his chin, as he wondered about Alec’s words. “Did he say when exactly?”

“No. But we must be prepared. The soon may be anytime now.” Alec stated firmly. “But, I have no idea, whom he was talking with.”

“Raphael Santiago.” Alec was shocked by that. He would never guess that Magnus may be working with Raphael. With the man who killed his little brother and abducted his father. His body shook with rage. How could he trust someone like that before? How could he lay in the bed with him? How could he give the two most precious things in his life to that man?

Man? No. A Demon.

It all made sense now. How could Alec not see it? Magnus was almost praising Raphael in their conversations. Who knew, maybe they were lovers? That thought disgused Alec. He couldn’t bear a thought of Magnus sleeping with someone else than him.

“Did you tell him our plans?” Alec nodded, remembering how he told Magnus last night that they were about to attack hotel dumont tomorrow night. “Good. Tomorrow night, we will attack werewolves hide-out in Manhattan. I’ve done my research. At least ten werewolves stays in the safe house.”

“Do you think your mom is in there?” Jonathan didn’t show any emotion when Alec mentioned Jocelyn. It was strange. She was his mother.

“That woman is no concern of mine. Besides, she betrayed father.”

“And what if Clary is in there?” Alec pried more in the topic. At the mention of the redhead girl, John’s eyes got even darker.

“She will not be harmed. I will take her first from there. Then we will end the wolves. First them, then vampires.”

“If you say so.” Alec agreed with the crazy plan of his friend. Even though he didn’t believe they will succeed. Werewolves were strong creatures. Same as vampires.

He hoped that they will win this war. And he hoped that he won’t have to kill his beloved warlock in it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for kudos and comments.


	15. If you love me, why did you kill me?

Magnus was lying in the bed with Alexander, in the boy's bedroom. The light of the witchlight was dimming the room. The warlock was observing his lover. The chest of Alec was slowly rising and falling. The steady breath was escaping his lips. The quiet snort was filling the room at the three am. Everything seemed to be wonderful, and Magnus should be happy.

Yet, it was exactly the opposite.

Bane was anything but happy. He was devastated inside. He felt as if his soul was dying. His heart was breaking in million pieces.

He fell in love, truly in love with Alexander Lightwood. His master, his enemy.

And he was about to break his heart.

Magnus knew that Alec knows the truth already. He knew, that Jonathan discovered his plan. How could he not? The boy was too smart. He figured it out a long time ago. Magnus was sure that it could happen around the time that little Max died. When Max was killed, to be more precise. Lately, Bane was thinking about this again. It was too suspicious, too unexpected, too perfect. Magnus was deadly sure that it wasn’t any vampire, nor any werewolf, not a demon. As the warlock concluded it more, he suspected the real answer.

It had to be Jonathan.

The boy was part demon, literally. He was evil. He could kill anyone, even an innocent little boy. Yet, no one would believe him. Magnus was a traitor in Alec’s eyes. He won’t believe him in any word now.

He looked at Alec’s face again and discovered that the boy is awake now, staring back at him.

“Alexander.”

“Magnus.” he replied in a cold tone.

“Why did you let me in your bed last night? You know, why am I here, don’t you?” Alec was silent for a longer moment, looking deeply in his eyes. “Why?”

“I’m just a distraction. ” Alec admitted finally, lowering his gaze.

 **Distraction?!** Magnus wondered about this word. Distraction to what? Absently, Magnus raised his hand and grabbed Alec by his throat, squeezing slightly. His cat eyes darkened as he tried to connect with Raphael through their mind bond. Yet, he failed, as if the bond was broken by now. As if the vampire was dead.

“What did you do, Alec?! What did you do?!” the shadowhunter’s face was cold, his eyes empty, as he looked at Magnus. “Alec?!”

“You killed some hunters, so we killed your people too. You killed my brother, Magnus. So we killed your family.” It’s almost like Alec was not himself. Like he was speaking someone else’s words. “You talk too much in your sleep, Magnus. Did you know this? We knew how to get into Hotel. We used a warlock to get Raphael out. I let you know, that those vampires burnt in the morning sun like a bacon.”

Magnus let out a loud shriek and jumped out of the bed. He didn’t care that he was naked in that moment. There were some more important business now. He tried once again to reach Raphael but he couldn’t. He couldn’t sense the aura of the vampire anymore. Bane summoned clothes to himself, before he started to chant again. The words of the teleportation spell was mixed with a loud scream coming from downstairs. It distracted him for a moment, which ended up in losing the connection to his father’s magic.

“DAD!!! DAD!!!” It was Isabelle’s voice. “ALEC?! ALEC?!”

The boy in question grabbed his pants and made a beeline out of his room. Magnus fought down the urge to follow him. He had no time for this anymore. He had to remove himself from the New York Institute. He focused on his magic again and once he felt it run down his veins again, he chanted the old spell. A second later the darkness engulfed him and he felt himself becoming lighter. In no time, he was in the familiar white room, sitting on the bony throne.

He breathed out in relief, letting tears escape his cat eyes.

* * *

 

Alec ran as fast as he could downstairs, taking two stairs at the time. Hearing Isabelle’s frightened voice scared him immensely. A million thoughts whirled through his mind. What could happen? Whatever it was, it had to be something terrifying. At that moment, he didn’t care that he left Magnus in his bedroom all alone. He truly didn’t care about him at that moment.

Lightwood would have expected anything to see downstairs but that. This was something that never had crossed his mind. There, downstairs, in the middle of the lobby lay his father and Valentine, surrounded by the pool of red blood. Between them, in the middle of the blood was kneeling Isabelle and Jace with face covered in tears.

Behind them was standing John, holding Maryse by her elbow, preventing her from falling to the ground.

Alec dared to look at the bodies before him. Robert’s throat was split open, blood still dripping from it. Next to him laid Valentine's heart, which was cut out of his chest. Lightwood felt nauseous at this view. He didn’t even know when he fell to his knees, next to his sister and grabbed the hand of his father. It was cold, deadly cold, yet Alec couldn’t let it go.

“Dad…” a silent whisper escaped his lips. “Dad…”

“Alec…” he heard John’s trembling voice. “Where is Magnus?”

Alec couldn’t understand, why his friend was asking about the warlock. He turned his confused eyes at him and demanded a silent answer.

“I sensed magic here. Around their bodies. It was Magnus who killed them. For revenge for Hotel Dum…” Alec didn’t hear the rest of it. He got up, knees and hands covered in the blood and ran upstairs. He kick the door open and ran inside. Magnus was nowhere to seen. He heard footsteps behind him. Absently, he reached for the closest, heavy thing, which was the chair, and threw it at the person. “Damn, it, Alec.”

“John…”

“Where’s Magnus?” Alec opened his mouth to speak but no word escaped it. “You let him go?! For heaven’s sake!!! He killed our fathers, Alec!!!”

“I will find him. I will kill him.” Alexander growled, gripping the leftover of the armchair in his hand. “I don’t care about my feelings anymore. I’ll kill him.”

“Good. But before, we need to take the cup from him.” the blue eyed boy looked questioningly at him. “He has the Mortal Cup. Clary gave it to him. I found my sister and forced her to tell me the truth. I just need the cup, then you can kill Magnus Bane. I’ll let you have the pleasure. After all, he killed your father and brother.”

When John mentioned Max and Robert, Alec’s mind filled with visions of his little brother and father. How they used to laugh at so many things. How Robert used to tell Alec stories about all those brave shadowhunters. How Robert taught him to shoot with arrows. Suddenly he felt a rip in his chest, like someone would rip his heart open, leaving him with a burning hole. A loud scream escaped his lips, while tears were streaking his pale cheeks.

Alec grabbed his stele from the nightstand and ran out of his room, ignoring John’s screams behind his back. On his way downstairs he passed Isabelle and Maryse, still crying over the dead bodies. As much as he wanted to mourn his father, this wasn’t a good time. This was a time for revenge on Magnus.

It pained him, like nothing else before. He knew that Magnus betrayed him, that he was giving information about their plans to Raphael. He could even ignore that, he could in the name of the love he had for the warlock. But not anymore. The love he once had, a beautiful feeling that made him feel special had died, when Alec set his eyes on the dead body of his father in the hallway of his home.

His love and heart died in that moment.

“Alec,” Jace grabbed him by his elbow, when Alec was opening the door of the Institute. The black haired boy turned his eyes on his parabatai and found him all geared up with his blades in a hand. In other Jace was holding Alec’s bow. “I’m coming with you.”

“Good.” Alec responded in a cold tone.

“Do you know, where he could run to?”

“There’s only one place, where he could go.” Jace looked at him puzzled. “He will go to Hotel Dumont. He will like to see, what we have done there.”

Even though Alec wasn’t exactly sure what the rest of the hunters did in the Hotel, he suspected that it had to be a terrible slaughter. From Jace’s brief relation in the middle of the night, just after Magnus had fall asleep next to Alec, exhausted from a sex marathon, Alec knew that they used not only Kassandra’s power to get inside, but as well as some kind of magical friend of John. Jace confirmed that he had never seen the red-head woman before. Nor did their parents. Whoever she was, she was a great help for them.

“Alright, let’s get going then.” With that, Jace pushed the door open and both of young men stepped into the morning light. Ready to kill their enemies.

* * *

 

Magnus was rocking back and forth, sitting on the bony throne in Edomus. Alec’s words were echoing in his mind.

_I was just a distraction._

_We killed your people too._

_You killed my brother, Magnus. So we killed your family._

Magnus was shaking his head. It couldn’t be possible. They couldn’t be truly dead. They couldn’t lose this war. This couldn’t end like this.

Suddenly he felt a long, deep shiver all over his body. His heart froze for a moment. His mind filled with darkness. He started to breathe faster, his heart was hammering, his body was slowly getting lighter. It was like the death was hanging over his whole body. Then he heard a weak whisper in his head.

Come to the hotel. I need you.

Magnus choked on the air, as he took a deep breath. His senses came back to him. His mind was filled with images covered in red. There, in his head he saw the pool of blood and a ripped body inside of it. His stomach twisted at this view. When he slightly calmed down, after focusing on a steadying his breath, he created a portal. Soon, he pictured the familiar hotel and stepped through the blue light.

Hotel Dumont was burnt down. Mangus’s eyes were opened in a shock. He quickly cast a spell to take down the barrier, but he found out that there was no more a barrier around the place. Someone must have taken it down. He took a cautious step further, and he heard a bark. The warlock looked to the left, from where he heard the sound, and was met with a familiar gray fur and yellow eyes.

“Luke?” The wolf bowed his head. “What happened?”

The animal’s body started to shake and soon, a naked man was standing in the place of the animal. Magnus snapped his fingers and conjured a pair of white, skinny jeans from his old wardrobe for the man.

“It was a terrible fight. Shadowhunters came here last night and ambushed the vampires. Darren, a man from my pack was staying with them, but he couldn’t warn us fast enough.” Graymark was explaining, as he led Magnus into the hotel. “When we got here, the place was burning, with all of them closed inside.” Magnus covered his mouth with a hand. He couldn’t believe this. “All of them are dead. Raphael…”

“He’s not dead...I felt him. He called on me.” the werewolf was looking confused at his warlock friend. “I just need to find…”

“In...side...dios...mio…” they both heard a faint sound coming from the hotel. As if on a cue, both of them rushed in.

Luke held Magnus by his elbow, as he was inhaling the smell of the place. He scrunched his nose a few times, before he let go of the warlock.

“I can’t smell him. It all reeks of burnt and blood.” Magnus nodded to these words and whispered a locating spell. It was a hard one, seeing as Raphael was almost dead now. But finally, after a second trial, he felt the vampire in the other room. He ran towards his friend. Luke behind him.

“Raphael…” Magnus kneeled near the pool of blood where the ripped body of his friend was lying. Santiago was barely alive. His whole body was burnt, bleeding. He wasn’t healing at all. Bane concluded it was because of the lack of the blood. He rolled up the sleeve of his jacket and cradled the head of Raphael with one hand. He pushed his wrist towards the mouth of the vampire and spoke to him. “Drink. You need my blood to heal yourself.”

“I won’t...be...able...to...st…”

“I’ll stop you. Don’t worry. Luke will help me.” He assured Santiago.

Magnus wasn’t often offering his blood to vampires. He only did it twice. Once with Camille, when he was still with her, and once to Raphael, back in the 70’s, when he had to save him from the fairy folk. He knew, what his blood does to vampires. He knew that Raphael will most likely be able to resist any magic now, just after he will get off of his high. Yes, warlock’s blood was like a drug to a vampire, but not as strong as the blood of fae. Their magic was the drug itself. It was making the vampires go crazy for a bit. Yet, some vampires liked to feed on magical creatures. And some creatures were allowing it.

He felt the sink of fangs on his wrist. It wasn’t painful, if only, he felt a small tingle when Raphael started to suck his blood. As the vampire was swallowing it, his body was healing itself. The wounds were closing. The burns were fading. After three minutes, Raphael’s body was as new. He pulled away from Magnus’s wrist. Magnus was grateful for that. He was starting to get light-headed. He will need a lot of rest to regenerate himself.

“Thank you, mi amigo.” He smiled in a response.

“What happened?”

“Lightwoods and Morgensterns were here. Their warlock, Kassandra took down the barrier you placed over the hotel,” Raphael stood up from the floor and led them to the remains of the throne room. The three of them sat on the long wooden table, since all of the chairs were broken. “But she had a help. A fairy was here. A strong one.”

“A fairy?” He asked puzzled. It couldn’t be possible. No fairy would ever work with shadowhunters. Even they aren’t that low.

“A red-head, powerful fairy. I tasted her and felt a bit sick. So she must be truly old.”

“Oh, shit…” Magnus couldn’t come up with a better comment. He knew whom his friend was talking about. There was only one red-head powerful fairy in the Seelie Court. “That bitch! The Queen helps them. But why?”

“As I observed, she was given orders by Jonathan Morgenstern.”

“Are you sure?” Raphael nodded. It was strange. Yet, it all seemed to fit right in this messed up situation. Valentine never knew that Magnus was sent to the Institute as the spy. It was Jonathan, who told Alec the truth. In fact, it was Jonathan who was giving Alec the information, which the boy was telling Magnus accidentally, of course. Finally, it was Jonathan, who was left to be alive in the night, where Max was killed. Maryse almost died then. If it wasn’t for James, she would be dead now.

Oh, it was as plain as the white wall. How Magnus could be stupid like that. He was sent to a wrong man. He was the slave of the wrong Morgenstern. It wasn’t Valentine, who set everything in the Institute.

It was all Jonathan. He was the Master in this game for the whole time. And he played them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how did you like it? Sorry that I had to kill Val and Robert now.  
> The next one: Mags and Alec will meet eye to eye and let me tell you. It won't be nice.  
> Anyway. I have a huge favor to ask you. I'm during writing my Master's Thesis and I need you, people from around the world, of course if you're eighteen by now, to fill a simple poll for me? Pretty please with a cherry on top :) I'd be very grateful if you would do it. It's Anonymous and the results will be used only in my Thesis.  
> Here's the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hQMHwzgDf-4UAxzTsbB1QHswRbqf1dsBMTe7ooTQabs/viewform  
> I'll try to provide the next chapter asap. :)  
> Thanks for kudos and comments.


	16. Not so black and white anymore

Luke was sitting next to Raphael, and both of them were looking expectantly at Magnus. The warlock was walking back and forth in the middle of the Throne Room in hotel Dumont. They were during establishing a new plan to destroy Jonathan Morgenstern. Yet, it wasn’t as easy as they felt that it will be. 

“We need to take the cup,” Raphael spoke in a calm tone. 

“The mortal cup?” Garroway asked uncertain. “How the hell you want to get it? It probably is in the Institute. They must have got it by now.”

“They don’t,” Santiago replied, jumping off of the table. “Magnus has it.” His black eyes moved towards the warlock. “Magnus, you do have it, right?”

“I do.” He sighed, focusing on his magic. After feeding Raphael with his own blood his magic was weaker. He couldn’t cast powerful spells, even conjuring was difficult at this moment. But, he did his best and conjured the tarot card from his room in the Institute. It was a miracle that it was still in there. Once the card was in his right hand, he passed it to Raphael and Luke. The werewolf was watching it stunned. 

“I know this card. I’ve seen it before.” 

“Of course, you do.” Magnus responded to him with a crooked smile. “It belongs to Jocelyn. If I recall, she made it for Dorothea.” 

“Where did you get it from?” Luke inquired again.

“Your daughter gave it to me.” At that, his yellow eyes opened in a shock. “In exchange for waking  Jocelyn up. She took out the cup and then she hid it in the card again.”

“So how are you going to take it out now?” Luke demanded an answer, looking sharply at him. “Jonathan has Clary.”

“Jocelyn will take it out.” Luke didn’t look convinced to this idea. Magnus couldn’t blame him. He knew that she’s been through a hell lately. Not only she found out that her son is a half demon, but as well as her daughter knows about the shadow world. Jocelyn never wanted Clary to find out the truth, she kept her in the darkness for all those years. And now, Clary not only knew about her shadowhunter’s blood, but also she’s been fighting along her devilish brother. “Fear not, Luke,” Magnus came closer to him and put his hand on the werewolf’s shoulder. “She’ll just take it out and I’ll send her to some safe place. I still have powerful friends around the world.” 

“Alright.” He agreed with a loud sigh. “We should get going then. The sun will be up soon.” 

“Yes,” Raphael added. “We need to find a new place to stay as well. The protection of Hotel Dumort is gone. Everyone can walk in now.” 

“Magnus if you’re willing to cast a spell over my station, I can…”

“I’d rather not stay with all of your companions,” the vampire cut him off. “I want to live till the next night.”

“I will command…”

“Excuse me.” They heard a new male voice in their minds. The three sets of eyes turned towards what used to be an entrance to the throne room and spotted a tall man in gray robes. The face of the man covered in red runes. “Hello, gentlemen.”

“James…” Magnus addressed the man. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to offer my help.” The rest of the men in the room looked at the two confused. For once, Magnus knew a Silent Brother and two, the Silent Brother wanted to help them. It was indeed unusual. “Tessa contacted me through a fire message. She knows that Jocelyn Fray is in danger, as well as Clary is. She asked for my help. She told me to find you, Magnus Bane.”

“That’s my girl,” Magnus commented with a small smile on his lips. He missed the pointed look that the Silent Brother sent him. “Will you hide Jocelyn? In some safe place?”

“I’ll send her to the Iron Sisters. She should be safe with them.” the warlock nodded to this, along with Luke and Raphael. “Do you have the cup already?”

“I do.” 

“Do not ever let Jonathan Morgenstern have it. He has the Maellartach. He and Valentine had killed my brothers and stole it.” Only Raphael didn’t know what they are talking about. He looked at Magnus with a silent question. “If he will find the cup and mirror, we’re all doomed.”

“I won’t let him have it. And no one knows where the mirror is, James. It has been lost for years now.”

“Don’t underestimate Valentine and Jonathan, Magnus.” The silent brother warned him. Suddenly he turned his head to the entrance and then back at them. “Shadowhunters are coming. Be ready.” 

With that James left the room, and presumably the hotel itself. Indeed, Raphael confirmed that he’s sensing two shadowhunters close to the hotel. Luke agreed with him, as he inhaled the air. 

“Go for Jocelyn, Luke,” Magnus ordered the man. Luke nodded and jumped off of the table. He took off his shirt and soon a gray werewolf stood before them. “Take her to my old apartment in Brooklyn. We’ll meet you there.” 

The wolf bowed his head and ran through the burnt hole in the wall. 

“Are you ready to face them? We’re on our own, Magnus.” Raphael stated, looking meaningfully at his friend. “We only have my fangs and your magic.”

“I’m smarter than two children. We’ll be alright.”

In fact, they weren’t alright. How could they? When one of them has been already too weak and the other was still hungry. Shadowhunters, on the other hand, were prepared. 

Alec stood before Magnus with his bow, an arrow pointed at the warlock. Jace was holding his seraph blades in both hands and was ready to attack. The four of them eyed each other. Each of them waited for the move of the other. Yet, no one has made a move. 

“You will die tonight, warlock.” Jace spoke with a voice full of rage. “You killed my father and Robert. I will kill you.”

“I didn’t kill Robert nor Valentine.” He tried to defend himself, looking at Alec. “Alec you know I didn’t do it. You must know this.”

“Stop talking to him.” the blonde one growled. 

“Alexander, I wouldn’t hurt any of you. Not you nor your family. I did what I had to, but I am not a killer.” 

“Liar.” The boy finally spoke. His voice empty and cold as the hell. “You killed them all. You and your friend. And you will pay for this. I’ll make you suffer, just like I suffered because of you. I’ll make you regret coming up with a plan to use me as your sex toy, to get information out of me.” A loud howl was heard somewhere near to them and for a moment, Magnus got distracted. In no time, Alec was behind him, holding a knife to his heart. The other hand of his was circling Bane, preventing him from making any move. “I will drive this knife, slowly through your demon heart, so you would feel the same pain my brother and father did, when you were murdering them.”

Magnus didn’t pay attention to Jace and Raphael. He didn’t see, that the vampire got the boy pinned to the tree, with his fangs on his neck. He didn’t see that Santiago was draining the boy. And he didn’t see, that Alec threw the wooden stick straight into Raphael’s back, right where his heart was. But what he saw, was his friend falling to the cold ground, with a loud scream of pain. The face of the vampire was getting grayish with every second. Yet, he wasn’t bleeding to true death. 

“What in the Angel’s name…” Jace whispered, clearly confused. He was applying the Iratze on his neck, and a strength rune on his arm. “He should die.”

“My magic keeps him alive, stupid boy.” Magnus snickered, turning himself in Alec’s arms. “Well then, shadowhunter? Kill me. Drive the knife through my heart. If you have the guts.” He felt the tip of the knife slicing his sensitive skin. “Kill me, and let the true monster remain alive, among you. Let him feed you on lies. Let him play you, like he had been doing for all this time. You think us the monsters, but the real monster is closer to you.”

Alec was silent. His eyes were burning holes in Magnus’s head. He gripped the knife stronger, making Magnus hiss in a pain. If his heart beat quicker during that, he chose to ignore it. Magnus’s words were spinning in his mind. He felt, that some part of them are true. He felt that Magnus couldn’t be that cruel to him. After all, once there was something between them. Something deep and strong. 

They heard the wolves growling behind their backs. Magnus cocked his head and spotted the familiar furs of Luke’s pack. The wolves divided into a group of four. The first one circled Jace, barking and flashing their teeth at him. The other, was standing behind Alec, ready to attack. 

“Fear not, Alec,” Magnus spoke to him, calmly. “They won’t attack, if I don’t commend them.”

“Why wouldn’t you? Don’t you want my death?”

“Pretty boys shouldn’t die.” He answered with his usual smirk, which soon turned to a soft smile. “I wouldn’t hurt a person close to me. Whatever happened between us was real to me, Alexander. I’m a liar, I’ve betrayed you. Yes, that is true. But all those times, when we were together. Every kiss, every touch...it was real. It was the real me.”

“Liar.” Lightwood spit the word like it was the worst poison on the earth. “You played me. But this marks the end. Say goodbye to your life, Magnus Bane.”

He pushed the knife a bit more into the warlock’s chest. The blue eyes of his were full of pain and hesitation. Magnus had seen it, and used it. Blue sparks absorbed themselves around his hands, before they pushed Alec away from him. Bane took out the knife out of his chest and threw it to the frozen ground. Before  Alec got the chance to get up, Magnus was next to him, kneeling, with both hands on his chest. 

“I’m so sorry. I haven’t killed your family. Jonathan did it. I’m so sorry that we had to be this way, my sayang.” He pushed his sparks through Alec’s heart and forced the boy to fall into a coma. He cradled his head and with one hand he stroked the pale cheek of the boy with a fondness. “Aku cinta kamu, my darling,” Magnus whispered, before he got up and turned to Jace and Raphael. “Leave him. We must go.” The warlock came closer to the blonde boy. With a simple spell he lifted him off the ground and bound his arms behind the boys back. “Tell your brother, that he played well, but we know the truth. I haven’t killed your father, Jace. I’d love to do it, but it wasn’t me. I haven’t killed Max nor Robert.”

“But your friend did.” Jace pointed out, looking with rage at the vampire lying on the black ground. “And we will kill you. You can’t hide behind magic and werewolves all the time. We will get you and Raphael. You will pay for what you have done to us, Magnus Bane.”

“You’re just a child. You don’t understand anything.”

“And you will pay for Alec’s broken heart,” he cut him off. “I know that my parabatai loved you. And you used him. I’ll make you pay for this. I swear by the Angel. You will regret it, Magnus Bane.” 

For a moment, he and Jace shared a meaningful look. Magnus knew that the threat wasn’t real. The boy could do nothing to him. Bane was too powerful. Yet, something told the old man that Jace will live to fill his threat. But Magnus Bane won’t fear a simple child. There were bigger threats in this world. One, that was close to them. 

The warlock finally released Jace and threw him onto the wall of the hotel. The boy hit it with his head and for a moment lost his consciousness. It gave him the time to gather his friend and leave the place. Werewolves were ahead of them, as he instructed them where to meet them. Magnus took Raphael’s frozen body into his arms and whispered a spell to open a portal. Before he stepped through it, he glanced for the last time on the body of his beloved shadowhunter.

If only the circumstances would be different, he and Alec could have a happy life together. Unfortunately, the fate wasn’t on the warlock’s side. They both were the pawns in Jonathan's game. The most worrisome fact was that Magnus had no idea what would be waiting for all of them at the end of said game. And most importantly, who has which role in it? Who will survive it? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all comments and kudos. You are amazing ;) 
> 
> Once again, I'll post the link to the poll for my Master's Thesis. If you're at least 16 you can fill it ;) It will be very helpful to me.   
> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHcOF0_BP3g5-I5LvtM42viZSDh0SAhJmL-SurRzc0BUb8Eg/viewform  
> I'll try to come up with the new one asap. Are you ready for more drama? 'Cause that's what I'm going to bring in the next chapters.   
> Until the next one ;)


	17. The devil in the angel's skin

Alec saw everything. Magnus hovering him, speaking to him. He understood him perfectly. Yet he couldn’t force himself to reply. Bane put too strong spell on him. He felt his whole body freeze, when the warlock put his both hands over his heart. He heard Magnus calling him his darling. It only made things worst.

Alec still loved him, even though he was heartbroken. He still had dreams about him. Although, once pleasurable visions now caused nothing more but a terrible pain in his heart. The shadowhunter watched as his beloved warlock looked at him for the last time. The boy could swear that there was remorse in those cat eyes that he used to gaze into with a passion.

He laid there for a few more minutes, waiting for his hand to be able to move, so he could reach for his stele and drew a rune against magic. When he was left alone, with no idea what happened to Jace, Alec started to think about Magnus’s words.

The real monster is closer to you.

There was only one person that Magnus could talk about. But Alec refused to believe it. Even Jonathan wouldn’t be that cruel and crazy to kill an innocent child and two adults. He wouldn’t kill his own father, the man that raised him to be this crazy man. Because what motive could he have? Jonathan wasn’t the one who wanted the power. He always supported his father’s mission in making downworlders slaves and for shadowhunters to rule the whole Shadow World. Valentine wanted nothing more but to rule. Alec thought that Jonathan wanted the same thing. Yet, Valentine had never killed one of his own. So Jonathan wouldn’t be able to do it as well.

Alec had to believe it. Otherwise he would be lost. He will lose with himself, with his own beliefs. With his heart, which was telling him that Magnus was right all the time.

“Alec?! Alec?!” Suddenly there was Jace, kneeling by his left side and shaking his arm, yet Alec didn’t feel that. “Can you hear me? What in the Angel’s name he did to you?”

A few more seconds passed, until Alec felt the spell leaving his body. With every next second, he could move more muscles. Finally, after what it seemed forever, Alec was able to move his whole body.

“Alec?”

“I’m fine,” he responded, grabbing his parabatai by his hand and lifting himself from the ground. “Magnus just froze me.”

“Son of a bitch.” Jace commented, looking around. “We need to find him. We should call John and Isabelle. They will help us. We’ll send your mom to Iron Sisters, so they could watch her in her coma, until we figure out how to help her.”

“No. We need to go back to the Institute.” Jace looked confused at Alec, as he spoke those words. “I need to make sure Isabelle is alright.”

“She's with my brother.”

“That’s what worries me.” Alec added silently, so Jace couldn’t hear him. “Let’s go, Jace.”

The blonde boy didn’t question it. He just followed his parabatai on his way to the Institute. They were walking in silence. None of them spoke a word to each other, until they were before the gate to the Institute.

“Have you heard anything from Clary? ” Alec asked, as he took out his stele to open the gate.

“She’s with the werewolves.” He responded with a hurt in his voice. Jace was in love with Clary, as much as Alec was in love with Magnus Bane. And he was as much heartbroken as his parabatai is, since the day his red-head beloved jumped with her mother through a portal and disappeared Angel’s knows where. “But they’re not keeping her in New York.” Alec was surprised by that. He turned to look questioningly at his best friend, as they were reaching the front door. “I’ve been there two nights ago. I found their lair in Chinatown. I went backdoors there, but I didn’t find her nor her mother. But I heard them talking about Magnus, and that soon they will move to some safest place. Apparently the warlock has some place of his own. He didn’t even be enslaved before. He came up with the story.”

“I see,” Alec grunted and fell silent as they walked inside the Institute. In the hallway, where his father’s body laid before, now were standing Jia Penhallow, Jonathan Morgenstern, Isabelle and Madeline Cartwright, the right hand of Jia. “Hello.”

“Alexander, Jace. It’s good that you finally joined us.” Jia spoke up to them, eyeing them suspiciously. “I believe you managed to kill Magnus Bane for crimes against our kind?”

All of them looked at the two young men. Isabelle was sending him a warm look, full of sorry. Jonathan was looking at them unsurely, which was too odd for Alec.

“He managed to overpower us. He had the help of the whole pack of werewolves.” Jace explained moving closer to his brother. “Where’s father’s body?”

“We called for Silent Brothers and they took our father and Robert’s body to the Silent City. Tonight we will pay them respects.” Jace just nodded to that. The blonde boy turned around and looked again at his parabatai.

Alec was sad, it was not only shown on his face, but as well Jace could feel his broken heart. He hated the warlock with all his life for what he had done to Alec. At first, when Jace discovered that Alec has feelings for Magnus, he was slightly surprised. Not by the fact that Alec is gay, the boy could never hide it from him very well. But he was surprised that Alec fell for someone so different from him. Despite Magnus being their slave, they could see his true self, especially with the make-up and glitter he put on his face. Magnus was very loud person, while Alec was his exactly opposite. Yet, they’ve managed to fit together.

Until Magnus Bane broke Alec Lightwood’s heart.

“Jace?” he heard Isabelle’s voice and felt her subtle touch on his bicep. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” Jace replied and moved upstairs. “Wake me, when we’ll be going to the Silent City.”

With that Jace turned on his heel and went towards his bedroom. His room was cold, colder than usual. Jace took out his stele and cautiously moved towards his bed. Right on the middle of the mattress was lying small, white paper with his name on it.

**JACE HERONDALE**

He took it and looked closely. He wasn’t very fond of his true last name. It wasn’t because he didn’t appreciate that he came from the most noble family among shadowhunters. It was because he didn’t know who he was anymore. Was he Jace Morgenstern, the son of Valentine, like he had believed his whole life? Or maybe was he Jace Herondale, the miraculously saved boy, whose mother had committed suicide, once his father died. When he learned the truth about his parents, he hated his mother. How could she kill herself, while the boy was still in her womb? For once, Jace was glad that Valentine had saved him on time. That he raised him, as his own and made him who he was today.

Suddenly the card started to glow with a green light. Jace wanted to let it go, but he couldn’t. The card changed into deep green vines and swirled around Jace’s left arm. The tip of the vines moved itself towards his heart to attach itself to it. The shadowhunter felt an extreme pain and he fell down to his knees. He couldn’t catch a breath. His heart was beating too fast, like it would like to break free from his chest.

Then he heard a light, female voice in his head.

_ Jace. _

_ Clary! He wanted to scream for the girl, but he found himself unable to. He couldn’t even move his body. The darkness was consuming him, slowly. The air around him was becoming thicker with every next second. Then he couldn’t breathe and his body flew. _

_ There was nothing more after that. _

_ “Jace! Jace! Jace!” He was hearing Clary’s voice. “Jace! Please, open your eyes, Jace.” _

_ He did what she asked and spotted a white light, which was blinding him. A long shadow was coming from the middle of it. Instinctually Jace reached for his stele, but he found out that he doesn’t have it. As well he didn’t have his weapons with him. Jace swallowed hard. If it was any demon, he’d have to fight him with his fists. But he won’t give up. He will fight for himself and for Clary. _

_ “Jace!” Clary’s voice was closer to him. The long shadow was taking the curves of a familiar girl. Then, a moment later his beloved red-head was standing before him, with a worry written all over her beautiful, freckled face. “Thank god it worked.” _

_ “Clary?” _

_ “It’s me, Jace.” She kneeled next to him and threw her arms around his neck. But Jace didn’t feel the pressure of her body pressed to him. It was strange. He pulled away from her and looked at her again. Her body was glowing with white light, same as his own. “We don’t have much time. I don’t know when he’ll be back.” _

_ “Who? Luke? Magnus?” he addressed the issue. _

_ “My brother, Jonathan.” Jace was surprised by the answer. It couldn’t be possible. John was with them in the Institute, while Clary was with the werewolves and vampires. “Jace, you need to stay away from him.” _

_ “What in the Angel’s name you’re talking about, Clary?” He didn’t understand her. She was rambling some strange words. “Our fath...Valentine is dead. Magnus killed him. Robert is dead too.” _

_ “It wasn’t Magnus,” she defended the warlock with a firm voice. “It’s John. He’s the bad guy here, Jace. You need to stay away from him. Keep Isabelle and Alec safe as well. He will use you to his big plan.” _

_ “Big plan?” _

_ “He wants the power. He needs the cup. He already found the mirror and has the Mortal Sword. The sword is hidden in the place that I’m in.” she continued, grabbing his hand. He didn’t feel her touch again. “He wants the power and he won’t stop until he gets it. If I understood him well, as he was talking to Kassandra, he needs Alec for something. Alec is the key in his plan.” _

_ “Alec? Why?” the girl just shrugged her arms in response. “Where are you, Clary? I’ll come to save you.” _

_ “I don’t know, where I am. It is not our world for sure.” Her image started to flicker. Jace reached out his hand to grab her, but he couldn’t. Her body slipped through his fingers. “Keep Alec safe. He will use him…” _

Clary’s body disappeared for good. The blonde boy tried to call her again, but it was pointless. Her body disappeared along with the white light. The darkness and coldness started to fill the space he was in. His body was becoming light again. He felt himself flew over the ground, until there was nothing again. Until he stopped feeling anything. The last thing he heard, was the soft voice of Clary warning him to protect Alec from his brother.

In Jace’s bedroom, where the boy was lying on the ground, unconscious, the air was changed. It was filled with the sweet scent of a fairy powder. The green sparkles were floating around Jace, keeping him in a frozen state, balancing between two dimensions.

John stood above him, with a disappointed look, shaking his head. When the heartbeat of Jace slowed down, he kneeled next to his brother and sighed loudly.

“Oh, Jace, you always wreck my plans.” The black eyed boy complained, petting his brother’s golden hair. “I have to hasten my plan now. First, I’ll take care of Isabelle. Then I’ll take Alec with me, and we’ll move forward, little brother. Soon, I’ll get what I want. And you will all help me get it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all comments and kudos. You are amazing ;)
> 
> Once again, I'll post the link to the poll for my Master's Thesis. If you're at least 16 you can fill it ;) It will be very helpful to me.   
> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHcOF0_BP3g5-I5LvtM42viZSDh0SAhJmL-SurRzc0BUb8Eg/viewform
> 
> I thought that it will be nice to bring Clary and Jace into the story, at least for a while. In the next one, John will move forward with his plan. What do you think he'll do?   
> Comments will be very welcome ;)   
> Till the next one.


	18. Time is running out

Alec walked Jia to the portal, as they ended their conversation about the funeral of Robert and Valentine. Penhallow stated that the ceremony should take place in the Silent City and then they should move to Idris to have a small reception. Yet, Alec declined it. Now that his mother became the official leader of the New York Institute because of her age, Alec must stand up for her position, as she is still in a coma. Lightwood decided that they will come home after their visit in the Silent City, to spend the time as a family in their grieving.

Jia agreed to it, saying her farewell to him and Isabelle. Jonathan had left them before, stating that he’ll go to wake Jace up, before they’ll go.

“I’ll go and change, ok?” Isabelle asked, brushing her hand over Alec’s. The boy just nodded to that.

When his sister disappeared from his eyes, he decided to go look for both Morgenstern's boys. He went upstairs, straight to Jace’s bedroom, which was next to John’s and knocked lightly. No one answered, so the young man decided to let himself in.

But he didn’t expect to witness such a thing.

Jace was lying unconscious on the floor, with red sparkles floating around him.

“Jace?!” he ran towards younger boy and dropped to his knees next to Jace’s body. Alec placed his hand over Jace’s heart to feel his heartbeat. It was weak, too weak. Immediately, he fished out his stele and revealed some of the skin on the chest of his parabatai. He brought the tip of the stele to it to draw an Iratze, but then he heard a faint sound.

“Alec…” Lightwood moved his eyes towards the direction of the sound. There, in the entrance of Jace’s bedroom stood Jonathan Morgenstern with Alec’s sister in his grasp. Isabelle seemed to be frozen, like Jace, though she was looking at Alec and could speak.

“Izzy!” Alec didn’t know what to do in that moment. Save his parabatai or his sister. He loved them both equally. “Let her go!”

“Alec, Alec, Alec,” John said in a singing voice. “Drop your stele, it won’t help Jace. He’s under a magic spell.” The boy complied with the order. His stele fell next to Jace’s right thigh. “Now, be a good boy and listen, or Jace and Isabelle won’t survive this.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I said, be quiet and listen, Alec,” there was an obvious threat in John’s voice. The archer did as asked, but his eyes never left his sister. It seemed that Isabelle wasn’t in pain now, but he yearned to rescue her from him. “You see,” John started again, pushing Isabelle towards the middle of the room, where Alec stood. Yet, he didn’t let her go straight to Alec, instead he ordered her to kneel next to Jace. “Because of my sister, we need to hasten my plan. If she wouldn’t find a way to contact Jace, everything would be different. Now, I couldn’t let my little brother to mess with my perfect plan. Not when I almost have what I need.”

“What do you need?” Alec dared to ask with a shaky voice. He imagined that it must be some kind of powerful thing that the other wants, otherwise he’d have had it a long time ago.

“Power, of course,” he stated like it was an obvious thing. “But you must wonder what kind of power, right?” When Alec didn’t do a single thing, John continued. “You see, my father was petty. He only wanted the power to rule the shadow world. He’d be good with having the Mortal Instruments to call on Raziel to gain some power. But not me. Angel’s power is nothing in compare to what I want.”

“You want demon’s power.” Alec came to a conclusion.

“Ding, ding, ding.” John laughed with his response. “I always knew that you’re the smartest here, Alec. You see, I don’t want some low-class demon’s power. Oh no. I want the best. I want the power of the greatest demon. And that’s when you come into my perfect plan.”

“Me?” Alec was confused by that. What use could he be to John in his little plan? Was he ought to catch some demon and steal his power for John? No, it had to be something else. Something more complicated, but Alec couldn’t grasp the idea.

“Of course! You’re the main part of my plan, Alec,” John came closer to him and grabbed his upper arm in a hard grip. With his other hand, he knocked at Alec’s heart. “You and your heart.”

That’s when it began to be obvious to him. How could he not think of it before?

“Magnus.” The name of his beloved escaped his lips. John just nodded with his usual smirk. “You want to use me against him. You want to force him to help you with me.”

“Your intellect beats me. Of course, Alec. You will be the anchor of my plan in gaining the demon’s power.”

“And if I say no?” John turned back to Izzy and Jace and pointed his seraph blade at Isabelle’s heart. It was the statement that Alec didn’t want to come to life. He nodded his head, agreeing to this crazy plan of John’s. He needed to help him, to save Izzy and Jace. He just hoped that maybe Magnus will come up with some plan to save them all, that is, if the warlock still cares about him enough to come and help.

…

Alec was dropped on the hard, wooden floor in the middle of some apartment. He had no idea, where he was, was it still New York or some other city. All he knew that it had to belong to Jonathan. Lightwood’s hands were bonded with a rune the older boy put on him, before they stepped through the portal, leaving frozen Isabelle and Jace back in the Institute. His stele was back home, as John threw it underneath Jace’s bedroom. He had no weapon with him, he couldn’t do anything but comply with every order of Morgenstern.

“Alec?” A familiar, female voice reached his ears. He tried to sit on his knees to look up, but he failed. There was some movement before his eyes, all he could look were red sneakers and the edges of jeans. “Alec? My god…”

He recognized the voice.

“Clary?” The girl helped him stand on his feet, so he could finally take a look over the place. The room they were in was suited modernly. White-black leather couch and chairs were fitting with black furnitures and hospital-white walls. “Clary.”

“I’m so sorry that I wasn’t able to contact Jace earlier and warn you before,” she started with an apologetic voice, as she led him to the couch. “But I only remembered the spell of lately. It was hard to cast it. I needed to wait until he brought her here, so I could steal her fairy powder.”

“What?” Alec didn’t understand the sense of her words.

“John,” she explained, squeezing his hands lightly. “He works with the Seelie Queen and her fair folk. I figured it out, when he brought her here for the first time. He thought me unconscious, but I overheard them. They used all of us. You, me, Magnus and Raphael. We are just pawns in his game.”

“He said that he needs Magnus. He wants some demon’s power. ” Clary nodded to Alec’s statement. “But how is he sure that Magnus will help him?”

“Because…”

“Oh, I see you’ve awoken, Alec dear,” the cold voice of Jonathan interrupted their talk. Clary shuddered as he stepped closer to them and sat down on the glass table before them. John looked at them clearly amused by the whole situation. “Great, because we need to discuss the rules.”

“He’s not going to help you,” the boy expressed, looking directly into the black eyes of John. “Magnus won’t agree to your plan. Do you think he cares for me? I accused him of mur… YOU DID THIS?!”

Suddenly it hit him like a lightning. Everything was laid before his eyes for so long, yet he’d managed to ignore it for the time being. It wasn’t Magnus nor Raphael, who killed Max, Robert and Valentine. It was John. It was a part of his plan. Not having a way to attack the other boy, he did the only thing he could. He spat on him with so much force, so his saliva landed just under his left eye.

It wasn’t very satisfactory, but it was something.

John squeezed his lips in a tight line and wiped the saliva off of his cheek. He glared for a moment at Alec, before he stroke his cheek hard. It stung so much, but Alec didn’t give him a satisfaction of wincing in a pain, despite the fact that his lower lip was broken now.

“Bad boy,” John scolded him, wiggling his ring finger before Alec’s nose. “Act nice and I won’t kill Izzy and Jace.”

They heard Clary taking a loud intake of air. She whispered the name of the blonde boy with a shaky voice.

“I still can’t believe that you like him better than me, sister,” John addressed her without looking at the girl. He eyed Alec meaningfully, before he spoke again. “You see, all of you are part of my plan. You, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Raphael Santiago, my father, your father, even Max.”

Alec growled loudly, feeling the desire to kill Jonathan once and for all.

“You killed an innocent boy. I’ll kill you.” He warned him. “I will find a way to kill you. I’ll rip your heart out, mark my words.”

“Oh Alec,” he smirked in a wicked way. “I didn’t know you had that in you. But guess what? You can’t best me. No one can. You will all fill the parts I’ve prepared for you.”

“Roles? What is my role in this sick plan of yours?” Clary asked, once again grabbing Alec’s hands in hers. The boy offered her a small smile for this comfort. There was some strength radiating from her, which Alec found reassuring.

“But of course, the only role you can have.” He stated like it’d be obvious. “You’d be the rightful queen, right next to me. The new king of the whole shadow world.”

John was looking at the window, through which the daylight was streaking. He got up from the table and went in the direction of the door. He opened it and stepped through, closing the door behind him. Alec didn’t hear the sound of key-locking, so there could be an opportunity to escape this place, wherever they have been now.

“Don’t bother,” Clary said, as she saw him looking longingly at the door. “They’re spelled. Only John and the Queen can open it. If you try to touch the doorknob, you’d be electrocuted.” She rose her hand up to his eyes, so he could see the burn in the middle of it. “See? I’ve tried.”

For a moment there was a deep silence between the two shadowhunters. Alec was thinking about their possible ways of saving themselves, without hurting anyone in the process. Anyone but Jonathan. He deserved the worst. And by the Angel, he’ll deliver him the worst fate he could think of. It was a time to stop being always the good boy. It was now time to be the protector of his family and friends, as Alec had failed in the role before. He needed to defend Izzy, Jace, Clary, his mother and Magnus.

Alec promised to himself that he’ll make amends with his beloved warlock. He loved him, truly loved him. He only realized it now. Even though he broke his heart, accusing him of many things, he hoped, that deep in his heart, Magnus Bane still cares for him. Alec vowed himself to do all in his power for Magnus to forgive him. He’d even beg on his knees, if only Magnus would be willing to look at him and let him apologize for all the things he had done.

For Alec it didn’t matter anymore that at first Magnus played him. He truly didn’t care that it was meant to be a part of a plan to get information. Whatever the first reason was, it all changed during those months. Magnus was caring, gentle with him. He even protected him from Raphael. It had to mean something, right? Magnus even admitted that he loves Alec, or loved Alec, although he admitted that not out loud.

Nonetheless, now, maybe they could start everything over. A fresh start.

If only they will survive the game that John had prepared for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all comments and kudos. You are amazing ;)
> 
> Once again, I'll post the link to the poll for my Master's Thesis. If you're at least 16 you can fill it ;) It will be very helpful to me.  
> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHcOF0_BP3g5-I5LvtM42viZSDh0SAhJmL-SurRzc0BUb8Eg/viewform
> 
> In the next one: MORE DRAMA!!! And finally the whole gang will meet :) 
> 
> Comments will be very welcome ;)  
> Till the next one.


	19. Hope for the hopeless

Isabelle was first to recover from the spell Jonathan had cast on her. She gasped loudly, trying to catch a steady breath. Her head was aching, like there was some kind of hammering inside of it. It took her a few seconds to calm her heart, and defeat the urge of throwing up on the floor. Finally, she dared to look to the side. Jace was still unconscious, lying frozen next to his bed.

“Jace?! Jace?!” She shook his shoulders and patted his cheek, too hard, but it was for a good purpose. Unfortunately, Herondale didn’t wake up, nor he didn’t show any sign of waking up soon. “Damn.”

Isabelle laid her head on Jace’s chest, her eyes turned under the bed of the boy. In that moment she spotted something in there. She laid down on the floor and stretched out her hand, to reach for the item. She struggled for a while, before she grabbed it and pulled it out from underneath the bed. It was Alec’s stele. At the sight of it, memories of her big brother filled her mind. She hated Jonathan for what he had done to Alec. For the way he played him, for the way he used him and will use him for his insane plan. She hated John for forcing Alec to help him, threatening him to do so, or he will kill Izzy and Jace.

She hated herself for not discovering John’s intentions earlier. She loathed herself that she let herself being played and deceived by him.

She composed herself, for it wasn’t the time to dwell on her loathness. She had to escape the Institute and she had to take Jace with her, before Jonathan will be back. The girl unrevealed her left arm and drew three strength runes on it. She will need it, if she wanted to lift Jace’s body from the floor. A moment later she felt the power of the runes running through her body. Lightwood girl placed the stele in the cleavage of her tight, white dress and bent down to lift Jace from the ground. It took her a while, but finally she got her arms full of the parabatai of her brother.

Walking with Jace in her arms wasn’t easy, but Isabelle was nothing if not determined to achieve her goal. She moved cautiously, looking around to see if Morgenstern was back. It looked like he wasn’t. The girl breathed in relief and went straight to the library, where the portal has been opened before. Ten minutes later, she placed Jace on the ground and took out Alec’s stele again. With the tip of it she re-opened the portal and waited for its activation. In the meanwhile she wrote the fire message to Brother Zachariah to come and fetch her mother, who still laid upstairs in coma. Isabelle knew, that John wouldn’t hurt her anymore, she wasn’t useful to him, as there was no certainty that she will ever wake up. Jonathan needed alive people to blackmail Alec with.

Finally the portal was active. Isabelle circled her arms harder around Jace, and stepped through the portal, thinking of the glittery warlock. Soon she felt magic running through her body as it pulled them towards the bright light. The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping that the portal will send her to Magnus Bane.

* * *

 

Magnus sat on his plush, red couch, sipping sweet, iced tea stolen from the nearby restaurant. His eyes and ears were hurting from watching Raphael, Jocelyn, Luke battering over the next step in their plan. Jocelyn and Luke wanted to barge into the Institute and take back their daughter. Bane tried to reason with her, telling that there was no way, Jonathan would bring Clary to place so obvious and full of other shadowhunters. He wasn’t that stupid. In fact, the boy was very intelligent. He was able to manipulate everyone for his own little plan.

Bane turned his cat eyes to look at Simon Lewis, the newest asset to the New York’s clan. Raphael turned the poor boy two months ago, just to spite shadowhunters. It wasn’t a wise idea, after all, Simon wasn’t friends with hunters, only with Clary. But nevertheless, they needed new soldiers, so in the end it turned out to be very helpful. Simon was consumed in reading a history book, with Jordan Kyle, a werewolf from Praetor Lupus, leaning over his shoulder. It was an odd thing to see them being friends. No one could suspect that those two boys, vampire and a werewolf would be kind of best friends in less than two months. Yet, here they were, laughing over something they had to have read in the book.

Suddenly, there was a loud grumble heard in the middle of the living room. Followed by the burst of magic. Bane dragged himself up from the couch and went in the direction of it. A bright light compounded itself in the air, blinding all of the people in the room. There was a sound of smack coming from somewhere. Magnus opened his eyes and looked down, only to be confused as hell.

Right there, on the middle of the white, fluffy carpet was lying two young people. It only took him a second to recognize them. Dear Angel, he was so shocked by their personalities.

Before his eyes were lying Isabelle Lightwood and Jace Herondale. People that he would never expect to see again.

Raphael, Luke and Jordan were immediately at his side, growling at the two children. Bane was still too shocked to comprehend what was happening around him at this moment.

“Isabelle? Jace?” Jocelyn was the first to speak to the two of them. Her voice forced Isabelle to look up and move her dark eyes around the room. Finally they stopped on Magnus’s confused face.

“Magnus! Thank the Angel, it worked!” She got up from the floor, leaving Jace to lay on the carpet. “I need your help.”

The warlock could only blink at her words. Not so long ago, the blonde boy, who seemed to be somehow frozen at the moment, was promising him a painful death, and now they were asking him for help? He must have overheard her.

“You better run, if you want to live, shadowhunter.” Raphael spat at her, sliding out his fangs. He hadn’t been fed for two days, since Magnus offered him his own blood, in an attempt to save his existing. But now, his eyes as black as his soul was a clear sign of his hunger. “I haven’t tasted hunter’s blood in years. It makes me hungry a bit more.”

“I’ll kill you before you’ll have a chance to make one step, vampire,” She threatened him back, glaring him murderously. She looked once again at Magnus. “Jonathan kidnapped Alec.”

“Alec?”

“Yes, remember? Tall, black hair, blue eyes, you broke his heart.” She sassed him, yet there was pain heard in her voice. “Jonathan done it all. He…”

“I know this, Isabelle.” Magnus interrupted her, eyes lowering at Jace. “What’s wrong with the boy wonder?”

“He froze him with some spell, I guess? He cast the spell at me as well, but not so strong like on Jace.” Isabelle explained, shaking Jace’s shoulder. “Can you wake him? Please?”

Bane rolled his eyes and crouched next to the boy. He waved his hand over his body to learn what kind of spell it was.

“Faires magic,” Magnus concluded, sending his sparks towards the body of Jace. “Queen’s job. A low one, if you want to know.”

“Can you undo it? ” She pressed the matter again, looking at him pleadingly. Magnus nodded and whispered a spell to wake the boy up. A few seconds later Jace’s eyelids started to flutter. “Jace?”

“Izz…” he said hoarsely, scanning the room with his golden eyes. When he noticed the downworlders, he jumped on his feet too fast and faltered. Thanks to Izzy’s quick reaction, he hadn’t fallen to the floor. “Where are we? Where’s Alec?”

“Jonathan has him, Jace. He took him somewhere.” There was a glimpse of pain in Jace’s eyes, before he gave a sharp nod to the information. “I don’t know where. That’s why…”

“He must have keep him in the same place that Clary is.” Jocelyn and Luke reacted to the name of red-head. “Clary sent me a message with a spell and we talked.” Herondale turned his gaze at the warlock. “It was a spell that you taught her to cast. Thanks.”

“Clever girl,” Bane smiled to himself, being proud of Clarissa. The girl was powerful, grasping the knowledge of the shadow world with such an ease. A sudden thought struck Magnus’s mind. “How the hell did you get in here? And why do you think you’ll get my help? Alec and I aren’t together anymore. In fact, he said he hates me, for everything.”

“You still love him,” Jace pointed out smoothly, crossing arms on his chest. A pregnant silence filled the living room. Raphael was eyeing Magnus suspiciously. Isabelle’s eyes were full of hope. Jace’s meaningful gaze didn’t leave warlock’s face.

Jace was right. Magnus still loved Alexander, with all of his heart. He couldn’t make his heart to let go of this feeling. On the other hand, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to. Alexander Lightwood had awoken something in him. Something that he hadn’t felt for years, not since the first months of being with Camille, when he was sure she loved him back. It was when he felt truly alive in his whole three hundred years of living. Although, with Alec, it was stronger. It was like his heart was beating just for the black haired boy. His soul was responding to every call, every look of the hunter. His body was melting underneath every, single touch. He loved that feeling, even though it was built on lies and betrayals. Deep inside of his heart, Magnus knew that Alec has the same feelings for him. He had seen it in the blue eyes, he used to stare into for hours. He had felt it in every touch of Alec, before the boy learned about the reason of Bane’s arrival to their Institute. Alexander loved him, same as Magnus loved the boy back.

Yet the fate was against them.

Nonetheless, Magnus considered helping the shadowhunters, even though this smelled troubles.

“Do not think about it, mi amigo,” Suddenly there was Raphael, standing before him, with his cold hands on Magnus’s shoulders. He was looking deeply into his eyes, as if he tried to see Bane’s soul. “Yo te conozco, Magnus. Yo sé que lo amas, pero es una misión suicida.”

“Lo sé”, he spoke back in Spanish to the vampire. “But I can’t abandon him and Clary. They need us.”

“Exactly, you can’t.” Jace chimed, coming closer to Magnus and Raphael. “You’re the reason we’re in this mess.” Santiago was definitely the king of murderous glares. If only look could kill, Jace Herondale would be lying two feet underground by now. The vampire slid his fangs out again and growled at the boy. “Stop growling, bloodsucker. It’s yours and sparky fault that my parabatai is missing and so is my girlfriend! You tried to steal from us and...”

“Shut your mouth, Herondale, before I’ll rip your heart out and drink your blood.”

“Come on, try it, fangs.” They fought for a moment longer, with loud voices full of growls and threats, before Magnus snapped at them, having enough of this childish behaviour.

“Both of you, shut the hell up! I don’t want a bloodshed in my home!” Strangely, it was Isabelle and Luke, who reacted to those words. The shadowhunter girl put her arms around Jace’s torso and pulled him back. Luke did the same. Even though Raphael growled at him, he let himself being manhandled to the back to stand next to Simon and Jordan, who were given a single order to keep him in check. “Let’s get one thing right. I love Alexander, that’s true. I also care about Clarissa, she’s family. I will help you get them back, but you must cooperate with me and trust me.” Isabelle gave a single nod to this, a small smile lit up her face. “Now tell me everything, what happened before Alec had been taken.”

Isabelle and Jace started to talk about the events that had taken place in the Institute this morning. The girl repeated every word John had said, describing every detail of his behaviour, while he was talking. Magnus was analyzing it in his mind, along with Raphael, who sat next to him on the couch. The words of demon’s power were strange at first, but they rang in Magnus’s mind. It took him a minute or two to figure out Morgenstern’s boy’s plan.

“Do you have any idea, where he had taken them? ” Miss Lightwood asked hopefully, looking with her big brown eyes at the warlock. She tried to keep herself on the last amounts of hope she had, which weren’t big. Not since she has had lost her father and little brother, while her mother has been in a coma, with a possibility to never wake up. “Magnus?”

“I know.” He sighed loudly. There was only one place where Jonathan could take Alec and Clary. There was only one place, where he could gain the power he yearns for, one which Magnus is ought to provide him with. With a heavy heart and a lump in his throat, he tried to explain to the people in his room, how dangerous was the place they would have to go to rescue Alexander and Clarissa. “But you won’t like it.”

“Where?” Jace asked, his hammering heart was heard in the room, especially by Santiago and Lewis. All of them looked questioningly at the warlock, waiting for the answer.

“Prepare yourself for your worst nightmares to come true. We’re going to hell for Alec and Clary.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all comments and kudos. 
> 
> Once again, I'll post the link to the poll for my Master's Thesis. If you're at least 16 you can fill it ;) It will be very helpful to me.  
> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHcOF0_BP3g5-I5LvtM42viZSDh0SAhJmL-SurRzc0BUb8Eg/viewform
> 
> Only one chapter and epilogue have left and this story will be finished. So prepare for the drama till the very end ;)


	20. Down the rabbit hole

Isabelle was watching Magnus changing his attire for the tenth time this morning. He tried six jackets and three pairs of pants already, huffing during it loudly. He was clearly frustrated by it. In other circumstances she could help him, but they had other priorities now. They had to save Alec and Clary from Jonathan’s lair in Hell. That scared her, like nothing else before. Isabelle was a tough girl, there weren’t many things that could scare Isabelle Lightwood, but a trip to Hell was one of those things that made her heart beating like crazy, made her body shiver with fear.

“Magnus,” Raphael walked into his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. He eyed the pile of clothes in the middle of the bed then he moved his eyes on the warlock. “Like Ragnor used to say, get your butt up and let’s get going. Before I’ll give into my desire and kill Herondale. He strays my nerves.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” He waved him off and snapped his fingers. Simple black clothes materialized on his body, leather pants and a hoodie. “Black will do. It brings the mourning mood, right?”

No one laughed on this supposed to be joke. Magnus shrugged his arms and turned around to look at Raphael and Isabelle. They were standing two feet from each other, eyeing themselves warily. Isabelle was gripping her whip strongly, as Raphael slid his fangs out. The atmosphere in Magnus’s bedroom was thick and heavy, but from the wrong reasons. He walked out of the bedroom, gesturing them to follow him.

In the living room they found Jace talking to Simon and Jordan, though it was clearly that Herondale was annoyed by two boys. His golden eyes lit up, when Isabelle walked into the room and sat down on the couch next to him. He grabbed her hand in his, a move that Magnus had seen three times this morning. Jace seemed to do it, whenever he was feeling stressed or nervous. In the corner of the room, where the dinner table had been standing, were seated Jocelyn and Luke. The man was holding her in his arms, shushing her silent tears.

“Alright, let’s get going.” All of the creatures stood up at the sound of Magnus’s voice. Suddenly there were seven people standing before his eyes. “Now wait, a minute. I’m not taking all of you with me.”

“I’m going,” Jace stated firmly, drawing strength rune on his arm. “I need to save Alec and Clary.”

“I’m going too, you’ll need my help.” Izzy added, drawing runes on herself as well. To that Magnus only nodded, calculating how much of his power he’ll have to use to get them into Edom.

“I’m not going to let you die, because of some shadowhunter,” Raphael chimed, with arms crossed on his chest. Soon, the rest of the people started to number their reasons to go, so in the end, Magnus just threw his arms up in the air and decided to take them all.

“But don’t expect me to save everyone, when the troubles will arise.” With that, Magnus conjured the biggest amount of his magic, straight to his fingers, and cast a spell to create the portal. It took a few seconds, before the big, blue mass formed itself into a circle on the main wall of the room. When it was ready, Magnus closed his eyes and focused on the home of his father, before he stepped through it. With his first step, he whispered in his mind. “Fear not, Alexander. I’m coming for you, my love.”

* * *

 

Edom was exactly like Magnus had remembered it. All dusty, consumed in darkness, the floating air was heavy, making it hard to breathe. The moment they made the first step through the first gate, their surroundings started to lit up, revealing the true view of the place.

“We’re in Idris?” Jace’s voice broke the silence. “You were supposed to take us to Edom.”

“This isn’t Idris, it’s more darker,” Luke explained, pointing at the supposed-to-be Angel’s towers. “But it’s similar to Idris, indeed.”

“Es mi casa,” Raphael turned his eyes on the burned house of his mother. “Estamos en México?”

Magnus knew why they are seeing what they were seeing. He turned around to them and found them staring at themselves all in confusion. He whispered a simple de-illusioning spell and revealed the true look of Edom to them.

“Edom is the opposite of biblical Eden, the paradise. You will see what you believe is a paradise for you, only in a darker version.” He explained as he gestured over the items here.

The path before them was covered with a white dust, coming from the bones of the cursed creatures, who had been sent here by other demons. Plants on the path were dead, dried, burnt. Before them was a big, silvered gate with an italian words written on the top of it. Bane only laughed at this. Trust his father to put some trivial threat on the entrance to the Dark Castle.

_Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate_

Magnus never understood that joke, his father had pulled on. But it was fitting now. Dante’s words seemed to be perfect for this occasion.

“Truly? Abandon all hope, ye who enters here? Dante.” Jocelyn sent Magnus a meaningful look, to which the warlock only shrugged his arms.

“My father liked Dante.” All of them opened their eyes in a shock. “Don’t worry, Dante was brought here by my father, indeed. But he left the place unharmed. He amused my father, so he let him go.” Magnus walked through the gate and gestured his companions to follow him. “Stay close to each other. For all they are demons here. Be wary.”

The walk to the door of the castle took them four hours. They were met with a dust storm, which made them blind for a while. Jonathan planned it all very well. He sent Asmodei, demonic children of Asmodeus to slow their mission, but they fail, as Magnus stopped them with a freezing spell, the same he had used on Alec. Finally they were at the door of the castle. Magnus touched the cold lock and told them to grab him by his elbows. When the lock was opened they were immediately teleported to the main part of the castle.

As they let go of Magnus, the cold air filled the room. There were heard the sounds of shackles and shuffles somewhere around them. Before Magnus realized what it was, they were gone already. Bane turned around and spotted only Raphael, standing behind him. He growled in frustration, which made Santiago turn around and see the cause of anger.

“Where are they?”

“Demons. Devourses. They are set to take everything what’s alive.” The vampire nodded reluctantly. “They won’t touch me, because I’m Asmodeus’s son. They won’t touch you, because you’re already dead. Let’s just hope that they will manage to kill them off, before they will be killed and eaten alive.”

Raphael didn’t comment it, instead he followed Magnus into the unknown direction. They were walking in silence, only the loud breaths of Mangus were breaking through it, mixed with his hammering heart. Santiago knew that the warlock had strong feelings for the young shadowhunter. He had seen it in his cat eyes, when the Lightwood girl had told them about the abduction. He also could hear his heart very well. He understood it, even though it was wrong of Bane to love their enemy. Unfortunately, Magnus Bane’s heart could never tell what’s wrong, what’s right.

Magnus couldn’t stop thinking about Alec. His mind pictured the worst tortures the boy must have suffered already. For sure Morgenstern had been torturing the poor boy, only to force Magnus to give him what he had wanted. The power of his father. He knew well why he had wanted it. After all, with Asmodeus’s power, he’ll be the most powerful man on the earth, in all dimensions. There is not any more powerful demon than Asmodeus, the Greater Demon, The Prince of Hell. With it, he may be able to control not only demons, but every other creature as well. He’d have the same magic that Magnus has. As much as Bane wanted to save Alexander, he can’t let Jonathan get the magic. He must stop him, at all costs. Even if he’ll die saving them all.

As they were moving cautiously, they could see the ice covering the walls of the castle. It seemed that they were closer to the main hall. As they stepped through the entrance, they were met with the blue flames of fire surrounding the room. In the middle of it, stood a simple wooden chair, with shackles keeping it on the ground. Right on it was seating Alexander Lightwood with his head down.

“Alexander,” Magnus whispered, wanting to run to the boy. Yet, he was held by the hard grip of Raphael. The warlock sent him a murderous look, trying to get out of it, yet the vampire held him stronger. With his head he pointed at the place, where Alec was seating. Magnus spotted a demon, looking like a dog. It was growling not at them, but Alec. There was a red foam falling out of his mouth, just straight on the naked toes of the shadowhunter boy.

“Magnus! ” A joyful shout went through the whole room. The warlock didn’t have to look up to see the owner of it. Jonathan Morgenstern walked inside the hall and stood by Alec’s chair, shushing the dog demon to the other side. “I’m so glad you could join us. Although, I did not expect Santiago to tag along. I thought you burnt to ashes, when I set your Hotel on fire.”

At that, the vampire growled, and let go of Magnus’s elbow. He wanted to attack the boy, but this time, Magnus held him by circling his arms around his torso.

“I’m here, so let Alexander go.” At the sound of the name, said boy raised his eyes and looked at the warlock. He whispered his lover’s name with a difficulty. Bane smiled softly at him, trying to reassure him. Alec’s face looked terrible, Magnus just saw this. A black eye decorated the right side of his beautiful face. The left cheek had three sharp marks, made probably by some paws, maybe even by the demon dog who was now lying by John’s feet.

“But where would be fun?” Morgenstern put his hand on the top of Alec’s head, and started to stroke his hair slowly. Magnus took a step further, wanting to cut John’s hand off, but he stopped himself. He knew that John could do anything to Alec and it depended on the next move of Bane. “I hadn’t have enough fun while I planned this everything out. Although I must admit that working with Josh was truly fantastic game to play.”

Magnus’s and Raphael’s eyes opened wide in shock. They look at each other, trying to understand the words said by John, yet they couldn’t grasp this. It couldn’t be true. Josh couldn’t betray them like that. He was loyal to them.

“He wouldn’t…” Santiago stated firmly, hands closed in fists.

“Of course he would. He did.” Jonathan laughed sarcastically. “He just didn’t know. You know,” he trailed off, sitting on the armchair, next to Alec, still playing with the boy’s hair. “None man, alive or a vampire won’t survive a good seduction. Isn’t it right, Magnus? After all, you came up with a plan to seduce Alec to get information out of him. I did the same with your precious Josh.” Magnus was clearly confused by these words. “The perfect situation arose, when my darling Queen felt the need of a real throne. She wanted to rule the free downworlders, so I provided her such an opportunity.”

“The Queen. I should have known that the bitch will help you.” Magnus chided, eyes moving back to Alexander. They boy was breathing hardly, blood ran slowly out of his nose; he must have been truly tired. Bane wanted to heal him immediately, but he wasn’t sure if his spells won’t do more harm than good to the boy. “But Josh?”

“And how do you think, your friend came up with this master plan of coming to the Institute, huh?” As if on a cue, Magnus turned around to Raphael and eyed him suspiciously. “Come now, Raphael. Tell our little warlock, who told you that it will be a great idea to sent the spy to the Institute. Who advised you that seducing one of the shadowhunter, will provide you every information you wanted? Rings any bell?”

“Josh…” he whispered, yet everyone could hear it.

“Ding, ding, ding,” Jonathan smiled wickedly at them. “He was such a good slave, it almost broke my heart to kill him with flames. But I had to, Magnus started to be too suspicious of me.”

“You set all of this up. Only to get me here? Wouldn’t it be easier if you’d just catch me?” Magnus addressed Morgenstern with a pointed look.

“I could get you here with no problem,” He replied nonchalantly, letting go of Alec’s hair. He moved his hand towards the boy’s chest, where the heart was beating. “But I heard about you, I’ve studied you, Magnus. You’d kill yourself first, but you wouldn’t do what I want. I needed to give you a weakness, that will be mine to play with. A weakness that will bent to my every word. And I was so, so glad that your heart decided to participate in my game. If you two wouldn't fall in love with each other, I was ready to give both of you a love potion. Fortunately, none of you disappointed me. All of you had played their role perfectly. But as everything in this world, this game must come to the end as well.” For a moment the dead silence filled the room, before it was interrupted by the loud clatter of women’s heels. Jonathan got up from his seat and smiled, almost honestly. Magnus rose his eyes on the woman, who walked towards the room. Her red dress was too bright for him and it clashed with her long, sharp paws. For a brief moment he expected the Queen to walk in, but he was disappointed to be met with the familiar face of Kassandra. “My dear,” John kissed the top of her hand, making her blush. “He is yours to play with.”

Before he and Raphael could even blink, the witch whispered a spell in an ancient, demon language. Magnus hadn’t had a second to cast a reverse spell, when suddenly Santiago was moving towards Kassandra, against his own will. He stopped one foot before her for a moment. She whispered something more, but Magnus couldn’t hear what it was. The vampire turned around to him, with a helpless look and ran in his speed to Alec. He brought his right hand to the boy’s chest. He grabbed it strongly and for a short period of time, Magnus thought that he’ll rip it out. But he didn’t.

“Now,” Jonathan started again, standing next to Magnus. He put his hand on the warlock’s shoulder, squeezing it hardly. “Call for your father, or your friend will rip Alec’s heart out. And you’ll be just standing here and watch.”

Jonathan called for demons. Out of nowhere the Mortal Cup materialized itself in his left hand. The boy cut his right wrist, and let a few drops fall inside of it. The Angel’s sign on the cup shone in a red light. Bane had never saw how the item worked, but he was sure that it shouldn’t be like that. Hundreds of demons started to fill the great hall, circling Alec and Raphael. They stood upright, looking directly at him, as if they were waiting for his command. Magnus eyed them curiously. They were his brothers, at least in some part, they were the children of his father. There was one thing that bothered Bane. He couldn’t understand, how the boy is able to control them with an Angel’s blood. It’s impossible to do, unless the boy injected himself some demon’s blood. The big question was which demon?

Magnus missed the words said by Jonathan. Soon, he was caught, his arms were drawn back and held strongly by some hot hands with paws. He didn’t have to look back to see that it had to be at least two Asmodei, he could feel the call of their blood.

“You are a stupid boy,” Bane noted with a satisfied smile on his lips. “You think you can control them with this cup forever? Let me tell you one thing.” He looked him deeply in the eyes and whispered a quick spell to call on his father’s magic. “There’s nothing stronger than a magic of the blood.”

Magnus immobilized them with a blink of an eye, making them freeze in their place. The two demons who were holding them, growled in a pain, as their hands were ripping off themselves from their bodies.

Jonathan was laughing so hard, that for a brief moment, Magnus thought that the boy will die of it. Unfortunately luck wasn’t on his side tonight. With every next second, Bane understood less and less out of this situation. Either this boy was crazy, or this was a part of the plan as well. Finally the boy cut himself off and pointed at Alec and Raphael with his head. The demons, who circled them stepped aside, as John somehow unfroze them, by using the cup. Then Magnus saw the most horrible view.

Alec and Raphael were surrounded by the red flames, with no escape. The vampire was still holding his hand on Alec’s heart, while the boy had his blue eyes wide open in fear. Both of them were looking at Magnus, waiting for his move. Alexander was mouthing his name, like some kind of prayer. His blue eyes full of tears, that he tried so hard to keep, but he failed. When the first tear ran slowly down his pale cheek, Magnus’s heart broke in a million pieces.

“You can choose,” He heard John’s voice by his ear. With a heavy heart he drew his eyes away from Alec and look at the blonde boy. “You can save your friend. You can save Alec and let Raphael die in the flames. And you can save them both. Or if you decide to not play by the rules, both of them will die painfully on your eyes. Who will you choose, Magnus? Your friend, who stood by your side for years now? Or the boy you love, even though he had a hand in murdering your kind? All you need to do is call for your father.” Jonathan fell silent for a moment, as if to give him a time to consider his options. As if there was anything to consider. He couldn’t choose one of them and let the other die. But he couldn’t call for his father as well, it would have horrible consequences. “Hm, I think you need some inspiration to make a decision.” Jonathan nodded towards Kassandra, and a second later the silence was broken by the loud shriek of Alec. Magnus’s cat eyes went immediately to the boy and he was met with the red blood painting his muscled pale chest. Raphael opened his chest with a dagger, given him by Kassandra. Alec’s shout was followed by Santiago’s scream, as the flames started to burn his left leg. “So?”

Magnus wanted to save them, truly wanted to do so, but he couldn’t call for Asmodeus. He couldn’t bent to the shadowhunters will. Instead, he started to cast protection spells over Alec and Raphael. Yet they didn’t seem to help at all.

“Guarde su amada, mi amigo. I made you a promise on my mother’s doorstep. You saved my life once, now it’s my time to pay you back.” Magnus heard Raphael’s spent voice. He had no time to react, none of them had, before Raphael retrieved his hand from Alec’s chest and threw himself to the fire. A painful holler went through the room. Magnus sank to his knees, hand outstretched, as if he tried to reach out to his dying friend.

“Well, I haven’t had thought he had this in himself. Eh,” Jonathan shrugged his arms, patting Magnus’s shoulder. “One down, but the second is still alive. For now. Do you want Alec to be dead as well? Or will you call for Asmodeus?” When Magnus didn’t answer him, still being in shock, caused by the sacrifice of Raphael, Jonathan went to Alec and stood behind him. He grabbed him by his hair and whisked his head up, revealing his neck. He took seraph blade out from his belt, and slightly slit Alec’s throat, making the boy hiss in a pain. “One more slit and he’ll bleed to death, on your eyes. Look at this, Alec. It turns out that Magnus indeed lied about his feelings. He will let you die, painfully. But it’s his call.”

Morgenstern had drawn the blade back and with an incredible speed he drove it through Alec’s heart. The black haired boy howled, as the blood started to run down slowly down his chest.

“One small twist, and I’ll pull the blade out. Alec will die in seconds.” Magnus looked deeply in the blue eyes of his beloved. There was so much fear in them, that he had to do what’s his heart was telling him from the very beginning. He had to do, what was right. “Alright, you decided.”

One more scream escaped Alec’s lips, before Magnus bent down to Jonathan’s order.

“Ok! I’ll do it! Let me heal Alexander, and I’ll call for my father.” Morgenstern nodded and allowed Magnus to come to them. He dropped down by Alec’s feet and brought his hands to his chest. “I’ll do it as gently as I can, my darling. Hold on, baby. Everything will be alright.”

He slid the blade out of his chest, and before Alec had a chance to bleed to death, he started to cast the most powerful healing spells he had known. It took him a few moments, but eventually the long, sharp wound on the boy’s chest started to clasp itself and heal. When he was done with it, Magnus brought his hand up to Alec’s cheek and stroked it lovingly, before he leaned up and kissed gently chipped lips of the boy. Alexander was too tired to kiss him back, as much as Bane would want it, but he at least tried to.

“Now, call for Asmodeus, or I’ll kill him.” The blonde boy said, pointing his blade at Alec’s healed heart.

* * *

 

Asmodeus looked exactly like Magnus had remembered him. Tall, slim, proud look in his gold-green cat-eyes, a resemblance he shared with his son. His pale skin was taut over the bones of the skull. High cheekbones were sharp. A barbed crown decorated his short black hair. He wore a white suit, which could be easily mistaken with human’s clothing if it weren’t for the buttons made out of bones.

“My dear son,” He addressed Magnus with a fondness in his words. “It’s been awhile, since we’ve seen each other personally for the last time.”

“Father,” Magnus replied to him coldly. He never liked calling for his father. It always had its consequences. He only had done it once, to confirm his bloodline. Magnus held Alec’s hand in his, trying to give the boy some of his strength. Alec will need it, when they will escaping Edom. That’s it, if Magnus plan will work.

The warlock whispered a spell in a demonic language, hoping that Jonathan won’t hear him. He seemed not to. He called for the blood of his and his father and waited till he’ll connect with him.

“Who are you? ” Asmodeus turned to Jonathan, eyeing him from head to toe. “Ah, son of Lilith. I have heard about you. I’ve met your father once. He amused me with his petty wish to rule the Shadow World.”

“Yes, my father was petty. He hadn’t had seen the real power, when it stood before his eyes.” The boy answered him, taking a step closer. “But I’m wiser than him. I know the real power, the biggest one in every dimension. And I will take it for myself.”

Jonathan once again cut his wrist and let the blood drop down to the Cup. He whispered some words in an ancient language that Magnus hadn’t known. The Cup shone in dark red light, before there was a circle of white fire surrounding Asmodeus. The demon’s eyes were wide, as he couldn’t even move any muscle. The boy was drawing the power out of him.

“Magnus,” He spoke in the warlock’s mind. Bane looked up at him with fear in his cat eyes.

“Father, let me use your power and I’ll kill him.” He blinked in a response and soon Magnus felt the dark magic of his father running through his body.

His normal green-gold eyes turned black, became empty, as he rose from the ground, leaving Alec’s side. Black smoke was floating around his hands, when Magnus was walking towards Morgenstern boy. He rose his hand up in the air, breaking the connection he had with Bane’s father. He rose Jonathan up without touching him. The young man started to choke as Magnus was chanting spells to defeat him, while draining the power of Asmodeus.

“I told you before. There’s no stronger magic than blood magic. I will drain the power of my father out of you, and then I’ll use this,” He snapped his fingers and Maellartach materialized itself in his hands. In the other hand he suddenly had the Mortal Cup. Jonathan was watching the scene shocked. “You are a stupid boy. You should have learn a bit of a history, before you decided to play games with me.”

“How...can...you…”

“Stupid, stupid boy. Angel’s blood runs in my veins as well,” Magnus explained, as he drained the last drop of Asmodeus’s essence out of Jonathan. “My father was more powerful angel than yours Raziel.” Magnus drove the sword through Morgenstern’s heart, with one swift move.

“NO!!!” He heard two new voices in the room. The warlock turned his head to the left and spotted Clary and Jace, both screaming. Behind them were Jocelyn, Luke and Simon, with their hands over their mouths. Magnus didn’t bother them, he looked back at John and discovered that the once black eyes were now green, same as Clary’s. The man pulled the sword back, draining the last amount of Lilith’s magic out of the boy, before he dropped to the ground before him. Mortal Sword fell hard next to him.

Suddenly there was a pair of arms around his back, drawing him, until he his back hit something hard. Words were whispered to his ear, but he couldn’t understand them. Black magic of his father and Lilith was running down his body, ripping it off from the inside. He didn’t know, if he would survive it. He decided to speak to Alec, before it was too late.

Magnus rose his head and saw that it was Alexander who was holding him in his arms, as his heart pounded in his chest. He looked deeply into the blue eyes of the boy, hand slowly stroking the pale cheek. Even bruised, Alexander Lightwood looked like a ninth miracle of the world. For Magnus, he for sure was.

“I’m sorry for everything, Alexander,” He gasped, as Lightwood was nodding. The boy must have felt that soon Magnus will die. “I’m so sorry. I love you, for real, and I’m sorry that I have hurt you. I love you.”

“I love you too, you stupid man.” Alec pressed his lips to Magnus’s in a hungry kiss. It was the perfect end for him. The sweet lips of his lovers were claiming him. There was an apology hidden in the kiss, as well as the love they had for each other. The honest feeling of love.

Magnus pulled back from Alec, to let out a loud shout of pain. The combined magic was opening wounds on his body. Deep red blood was running out of his nose, eyes and from the corners of his mouth. He felt the coldness surrounding him.

“Magnus! Magnus!” Alec was screaming, trying to hold him in his arms, yet, he couldn’t. Magnus’s body started to shake. “Magnus!”

“Move out of the way, shadowhunter.” Bane saw his father kneeling next to him. Asmodeus grabbed both of Magnus’s hands in his and started to chant.

Another screams were leaving the warlock’s mouth, as the demon was retrieving his power. For a moment, Bane felt that every part of his body was ripped off, or as if he was eaten alive by some kind of hellish creature. Hotness and coldness were attacking his body alternately, making him sick and dizzy.

Magnus turned his eyes on Alexander. He wanted to wipe off the tears that were streaking down the beautiful face of his hunter.

With the last power in his voice he whispered. “Aku cinta kamu, my darling Alex…”

He let the darkness engulf him, as he closed his eyes, waiting for Lady Death to come for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we've come to the end. There's only small epiloge that have left and we're done with this story. 
> 
> Thank you for all comments and kudos.
> 
> Once again, I'll post the link to the poll for my Master's Thesis. If you're at least 16 you can fill it ;) It will be very helpful to me.  
> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHcOF0_BP3g5-I5LvtM42viZSDh0SAhJmL-SurRzc0BUb8Eg/viewform


	21. Epilogue

**Three months later**

Alec was standing in front of the old, wooden door, leading to the library in the New York Institute. His heart was hammering, his head was spinning. His breath was fast and shallow, as his hands were trembling. The young man wore a new, gray cloak over his shadowhunter gear. In his right hand he was squeezing the staff with a golden, small globe atop of it.

“Consul Lightwood, I’m glad you have finally come here,” Alec turned his head to the left and was met with Jia Penhallow. The older woman was equally official dressed as he had been. Her gray cloak had red straps on the edges, informing everyone of her newly gained status. The Great Inquisitor.

“Inquisitor Penhallow,” The archer bowed his head to her and opened the door. He let her go first, as the gentleman he was.

“I can hear your heart, Alec. Do not worry, you were promised that he’ll return, correct?” She glanced at him, smiling reassuringly. The boy only nodded with a shy smile on his lips. “I still am wondering, how did you manage to convince Asmodeus to grant you his return.”

Alexander haven’t told anyone about the deal he had made with Asmodeus that night, back in Edom. He haven’t even told Mangus about it, and he had hoped that Asmodeus haven’t had done it as well. It was Alec’s job to inform Magnus about his new life, as the second Prince of Hell, just under the ruling of the King Asmodeus himself. Bane was still in the coma, as the demon informed him, gaining his powers back. When he laid his blue eyes for the first time on Mangus, when the warlock was moved to Edomus, he recalled the words of his new Master.

_ “Are you certain, you want to sacrifice yourself for my son, shadowhunter?” The demon sat on the bony throne as his magic was shielding the warlock. _

_ “I do. I love him.” Asmodeus rose his eyebrow and nodded to that. “I need him to be alive, I need him to forgive me for everything.” _

_ “You will be my servant among livings. You will kill for me.” Suddenly the demon was next to him. Asmodeus looked almost fondly at Magnus’s calm face. He rose his hand and stroked his cheek, through the barrier. “You will protect my son, at every cost. He is my last heir and my biggest pride.” _

_ “This I can promise you.” Alec responded without hesitation, eyes on Magnus’s frame. “Even if he won’t let me be close to him, I’ll protect him anyways.” _

_ Asmodeus retrieved his hand from Magnus’s cheek and instead he grabbed Alec’s right wrist in a strong grip. The shadowhunter felt a hellish cold, more than he had until now, it made his blood freeze for a moment. With a corner of his eye he spotted Asmodeus chanting something in a demon’s language, mere seconds before he felt a fire burning his wrist. He wanted to let out a scream, but he found himself voiceless for the time being. The pain was unbearable, making his insides to twist from it. _

_ The pain stopped, when Asmodeus let go of his wrist and stopped chanting. Alec was able to move his body, his voice returned to him, yet he wasn’t feeling anything but a small sting in the place where the bony hand was squeezing him. His blue eyes darted towards his wrist. There wasn’t any mark made by demon’s fingers, no. But there were black seven circles, looking kind of like circles of hell. Alec looked at this for a while, wondering, what it could be. _

_ “I will know everything of you now.” Asmodeus replied to his wonderings. “I will know, where are you. I will know, if you are in need of help. I will be able to call you down here. And when your time will come, when you fulfill your mission, I will send my children to collect your body and soul. You will serve the rest of your eternity, as the second prince of Edom, along with my son.” Alec didn’t understand the whole thing then, but if it meant that Magnus will be alive and safe, he would sell his soul to the devil. _

_ Well, he just did. _

_ “Deal. My soul is yours, Asmodeus.” He sealed the deal with a bow to his new Master. _

_ “And I shall return my son to you, once he’ll recover, my little hunter.” _

“I just begged him, that’s it.” Alec replied the same version he had told everyone else of his family and friends. “Magnus Bane is a strong ally. We will need him, if we want to restore the peace in the Shadow World.”

The woman hadn’t responded to that, instead she walked towards the Silent Brother, who stood in the middle of the room. Right next to him was standing Magnus looking healthy and alive. He wore tight leather, black pants, a purple vest over a light beige dress shirt. His long hair had colorful highlights, which were very visible, as his hair were put up in spikes. Finally, Magnus’s skin was glowing, maybe because of the glitter he had on himself, or maybe because he was alive.

When their eyes met, Alec almost melted in the green-gold color of cat-like eyes. There was uncertainty and love filling them, as Magnus flashed him a genuine smile. Lightwood bit down his lower lip, wiped his hands in the cloak, before he set his mind up. For a while he didn’t care that there were others in the room. For him it was only Magnus who mattered in this very moment.

Alec dropped his staff, making it crackle on the hard, marble floor, before he ran towards Bane and basically jumped on him. Thank the Angel, that Bane had a quick reflex and caught the boy on time, before they both could land on the floor.

“Hello to you too, Alexander,” Magnus smiled upon him, when Alec looked in his eyes again, while still holding the boy, as if he weighed nothing. Once again the archer bit his lip, before he smashed his lips onto Magnus’s in a hunger kiss. At first, Bane was stiffed in Alec’s arms, but soon he recovered from his shock and kissed the boy back, equally eagerly.

They were interrupted by the loud whistling of Isabelle. Alec jumped off of Magnus and looked down at the man’s feet. He could feel his cheeks being on fire, as well as he felt the eyes of the rest of the people on his back.

“Consul Lightwood,” Jia reprimanded him, looking slightly offended. Apparently, she wasn’t used to seeing two people of the same gender kissing, even though her daughter was lesbian and in love with other shadowhunter girl. “This is hardly the time. We have things to discuss.”

“Yes of course,” He composed himself, rising his head to look at Magnus. The warlock was smiling wickedly in his usual way, making the boy blush even more. “Thank you, Brother Zachariah, for your help.”

“I’m no longer a Silent Brother, Consul Lightwood. My name is James Carstairs,” Of course, Alec kept forgetting that Brother Zachariah wasn’t a Silent Brother anymore. He was somehow cured by Maleachart, when Alec gave it back to him, when they came back from Edom. Lightwood hadn’t understood the process, but somehow the combined magic of Magnus and Asmodeus, which ran through the blade, cured the old shadowhunter from his illness. He no longer had to remain in the Silent City. “Shall we start conversing?”

“Of course,” Alec turned around to Isabelle, Jace and Clary. “Leave us. Isabelle, go check on mom. Jace, start to train Clary again. I’ll come to you later.” They left the library without any word. Although Jace wanted to say something, but Clary stopped him, telling that it was the Consul’s order. “Shall we sit?” He gestured at the round table in the back of the room. It was brought here last night, before they sent the word to Magnus about the meeting. When all of them were seated, Alec coughed three times and began his speech. “As you know, Jonathan is dead, same as Valentine. This marks the end of the old order of the Shadow World.”

“Absolutely. We must set the new order, Consul,” James added, looking directly at Alec.

“Exactly, that is why, me and Inquisitor Penhallow want to offer you a partnership, Magnus.” At that, the warlock looked up at Alec with a confusion in his eyes. “As the new Consul, I am to bring the new order, but I can’t do it without your help. I need you to stand by my side, as we write down the new rules of the Shadow World. From this day, there will be no slavery. Every enslaved Downworlder will be released and offered a compensation from the Council of Shadow.”

“Council of Shadow?” Magnus asked wondering. “What is this?”

“A new…” he hesitated, thinking of how to explain it so they would understand. “A group of people, which will including representants of both sides, shadowhunters and downworlders. We will provide the order, which will be equally good for both sides, Magnus.”

“And who will be in this council then?”

“Me, Jia Penhallow, James Carstairs, as the former Silent Brother and a man, who lived when the world was a better place, he’ll be good for the position.” The two mentioned nodded to this. “I thought Luke Garroway and You.” Magnus was silent for a long period of time. Alec wanted to bit down on his nails from the nerves. He had hoped that Magnus will be with him, or at least he will help him. “Magnus?”

“Yes, of course, I will help you, Consul Lightwood.” Alexander breathed in a relief, offering a small smile to the warlock. “I have a warlock friend, who can help us as well, that is if you allow it, Alexander.”

“Of course,” he said too quickly. James looked at Jia, sending her a knowing look. Alec just shrugged his arms, before he continued. “Ok. I’ll send the fire messages to every Institute around the world, so the Heads could inform their locals about the meeting. In three days we will all gather in Idris, in the Great Hall and we will tell the rest of them about the new order. Those who will be opposed to it, will be sentenced, and put in the Gard.”

“I will make sure to choose a new Security for the Gard,” Jia offered with her stoic voice. “I believe this marks the end of the meeting. Consul?” Alec just nodded to that. “Good. I shall meet all of you in three days in Idris. Goodnight. Consul Lightwood, give your mother my best wishes. I hope she’ll recover soon. For all I am afraid of the state of New York Institute under the hand of Jonathan Herondale for the time being.”

“I shall walk you out, Inquisitor Penhallow.” James spoke softly, bowing his head to Magnus and Alec, before he and Jia left the library, leaving two men alone.

For a lingering moment, there was nothing but silence between them, interrupted by the loud beatings of their hearts. They were looking into each other’s eyes, just trying to gain a courage to start the conversation. Finally, they both started at the same time.

“I’m sorry.” They broke in a laughter. Magnus looked so beautiful, when he laughed. So light, so free. It gave Alec this strange warm feeling in his heart. He would give up everything to be able to hear it everyday. Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure if it was an option. Magnus could never forgive him, after all, he had hurt him so much.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Magnus,” Alec reached out his hand, wanting to grab Magnus’s, but he stopped himself in the middle. Magnus may not like this anymore. “I am the one to blame. I’m so, so sorry, Magnus.”

“Alexander…”

“No, let me finish.” He interrupted him, moving himself closer. “I hurt you, and I’m not speaking only about the physical hurt. Magnus, I don’t hate you. I was blinded by John’s lies and the grieving for my brother and father. And I hate myself that I let that bastard play me like that. I should not have let him kill those vampires. They were your friends. I’m sorry for your best friend…”

“You haven’t killed Ragnor.”

“But I could stop Valentine.” He finished. Silent tears built up in his blue eyes. Alec fought so hard to not let them escape. “I’m so sorry for everything. I understand, if you don’t want to be close with me anymore, but I love you. I love you for real. I’ve never felt something like this before. All I can think is you. My heart beats for you. It belongs to you, as long as you want me, still. I love you, Magnus Bane, truly love you.”

“I love you too, you stupid boy,” He responded after a small pause and drew Alec closer to himself. He pressed his lips to the boy’s in a sweet, passionate kiss. It was almost like their first kiss, all those months ago. The soft touch of Magnus’s lips on his, was melting him from the inside. Alec wanted to deepen the kiss, but he left the decision to his warlock, who decided the opposite. When they pulled away, Magnus grabbed Alec’s hand in his and intertwined their fingers. “I love you, Alexander, but so much had happened between us.”

“I know, but…”

“Let me speak now, ok?” He agreed to this with a simple nod. “You have awaken something in me. Something that I thought long dead. But then you, such a young boy made me go crazy, made my heart beat like never before.”

“You make me feel the same things,” He brought the warlock’s hand upon his heart, to let him feel the beat of it. “It beats for you. But you are right. So much had happened between us. So much bad things, but there were also good things. I’m not going to lie, Mags. I want to be with you, in every possible way. As long as you want me too. I have a proposition.”

“Which is?” he asked, hand slowly caressing Alec’s chest, making the boy shiver underneath the touch.

“A fresh start for us. No more secrets.”

“No more lies,” Magnus added. “No more deceiving.”

“A clean slate for both of us.” Alec took Magnus’s hand back in his and squeezed it lightly. “Let’s start from the beginning. But this time. Let’s do it properly.” Magnus nodded to this eagerly. “I’m Alec Lightwood. I’m almost nineteen. I’m currently the Consul of the Clave and the Council of Shadow. I live in the New York Institute, but I’m promised to have my own apartment, here in New York, despite my position in Idris.I’m gay, have been in a denial for so many years, until the true love hit me hard in the face. My beloved is older than me, way older…”

“Hey, I’m not that old!” Magnus opposed to that, bumping Alec lightly in his arm. “I’m only three hundred years old. I’m still young and beautiful.”

“That’s true.” Alec agreed immediately.

“I’m Magnus Bane. The High Warlock of Brooklyn, Member of the Council of Shadow. I have a cat, his name is Chairman Meow. I live in Brooklyn, my own apartment. I’m freewheeling bisexual. I’m in love with the most handsome boy I’ve ever laid my eyes on.” Alec was blushing madly, he could feel it, when Magnus touched his cheek. “He’s the cutest boy on Earth, especially when he blushes.”

“It’s embarrassing.” Alec admitted, though his eyes were still set on Bane. The hunter coughed a bit and offered Magnus a shy smile. “Magnus Bane, will you go out with me?”

“Are you asking me on a date, Alexander?”

“I’m asking you to be my boyfriend. This time, for real. And I’m...I’m asking you on a date as well. Although, fair warning. I have like zero experience in relationships. So feel free to tell me if I’m doing something wrong.” Magnus just laughed at this and threw his arms around Alec’s neck. “So? Will you go out with me, Mags?”

“I’ll be delighted, my darling Alexander. I’ll be honored to be your boyfriend.”

This time Alec was the one that initiated the kiss. It wasn’t a slow one, nor it wasn’t a hungry one. But the kiss had the love their shared. There was no rush in the kiss, Alec was able to melt once again underneath Magnus’s touch, as the warlock tangled his fingers in the boy’s hair.

Maybe they started their relationship on lies and games, on being the Master and the Enemy, but for sure now they had a fresh start to the future waiting for them.

He couldn’t wait for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who had read, left kudos and comment.  
> This story is done now. I hope you're ok with the ending. 
> 
> For the last time I'll put here the link to my poll of my master thesis.  
> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHcOF0_BP3g5-I5LvtM42viZSDh0SAhJmL-SurRzc0BUb8Eg/viewform
> 
> For those, who ever read my other stories for this fandom, back in FF.net. I'm working on my last project for Malec Fandom, which is re-writing of Maybe We Are A Fairytale. The new version will be modified, improved, some scenes will be removed, some will be added. And the biggest addition to the story will be pictures featuring it. I'm co-working my an illustrator now and as well with my long-time beta, who will take care of the corrections. Hopefully, soon I'll be able to notify you, where you can read the new version of MWWAF. For now, you can still read the old version here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10167767/1/Maybe-we-are-a-fairytale


	22. The truth of deals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello? Surprised to see something more of this? Me too.
> 
> I was prompted by The High Warlock of Glitter to write this, and surprisingly the idea formed in my mind, so I decided to try it. I leave an open ending for now, in case the inspiration hits me again in near future.
> 
> Enjoy reading.

Through the past years, Magnus was astounded by the strength Alec Lightwood had himself. As the warlock observed him during demons attacks or fights with downworlders or shadowhunters who rebelled against the new order, he could tell, that the boy, now a man was special. He could slay the strongest demons without any effort, unlike his siblings, who, Magnus considered to be stronger than him.

One night, after an attack of a warlock, when Alec was hit with the strongest curse Magnus had ever had heard about, Bane decided to investigate his late husband, especially, after his brother-in-law confirmed his suspicions.

Yes, after three years of courting, Alec proposed to Magnus. The warlock was beyond shocked then. He loved his hunter, with his whole heart, he was his first true love. Even though the shadowhunters accepted downworlders almost as they equals, it was strange thing to them being in close relation. Especially, when Alec was the head of New York Institute, while Magnus held the position of head of the Downworld. Every shadowhunter and downworlder looked askew at them, as they had seen each other as enemies despite the new order. They looked at them even more odd, when they adopted their two sons.

“Papa? ” Little Max came to their bedroom, while Magnus was performing a spell to scan Alec’s body. “Will daddy be ok?”

“Of course, blueberry,” Bane smiled at his six year old son and took him in his arms. He sat the boy down on his laps and stroked his black hair lightly. “Daddy will wake up soon. Where’s your brother?”

“Rafe sleeps. Uncle Jace tired him out today.” Magnus nodded to that, as the boy yawned in his arms, curling in his laps. “Can I stay with you and daddy?”

“It won’t be comfortable. Come on, I’ll take you to the bed and tell you some story, ok?” Max eagerly agreed with his father and let himself being carried to the old bedroom of Alec in the Institute, where they were currently staying. His other son, eleven year old Rafael was already sleeping, squeezing the old gray bunny, he had gotten from Max, when Rafe joined their little family.

After Max had fallen asleep curled up to his older shadowhunter brother, Magnus went back to the infirmary.

“Do you think he’ll be alright?” He heard Jace’s voice, as he sat down by the bed. Soon, the blonde man joined him. “Magnus?”

“Tell me, how did it happen, Jace? How could you not feel him? ” Magnus asked, remembering, as they found Alec an hour after he had been attacked by Marcus, the warlock from Italy, an enemy of Magnus. He knew that it will be pointless to attack Bane, as he held the biggest power in the whole shadow world, so he aimed the attack on the beloved of Bane. His husband, Alec Lightwood.

“I don’t know. The truth is...I’ve told Alec about it already, but he just waved it off, and said that I must be mistaken.” Magnus was silent, waiting for more explanation. “Lately, I can’t feel our parabatai bond at all. Especially during fights. All I feel is coldness and emptiness, as if Alec was dead.”

“He’s not dead, Jonathan.” To emphasize this, Mangus grabbed Alec’s wrist to feel his pulse. The warlock flinched, when he felt the cold temperature of Alec’s body. Magnus knew this coldness, he knew it by his heart, but he had hoped to be wrong. He took a deep breath and turned to Jace once again. “Monitor us. If you won’t be able to feel Alec’s heart beat, press your stele to my heart, the burn will bring me back.”

“From where? ” The man asked. “What are you going to do, Magnus?”

“Discover what had Alec done to himself.” With that he closed his eyes, emptied his mind and whispered a spell to connect himself with Alec’s body, mind and soul.

At first something was trying to block him, push him out of Alec’s body, but Bane braced himself stronger and pushed forward, until he found himself fully inside of his lover. Usually, when Magnus connected himself to somebody, he could see the color of their aura, according to which species the creature was. If it was human, it was plain blue. If it were a demon, it was red. If it was a greater demon, he could see different colors, based on their magical signature. When it was a shadowhunter, the aura should be bright, angelic gold.

This should be Alec’s color as well.

Yet, it wasn’t.

It was black, shimmering with green-gold, like the eyes of Magnus and his father.

He had hoped to be wrong. He wished to be mistaken, alas, he wasn’t. He knew he was right, the moment he found himself in the so familiar place with white walls and a bony throne in the middle of it. The throne, where Alec was seating now, eyes closed, steady breathing, as if he was meditating.

“Alexander.” Magnus voice was stern and filled with anger, as he took a step towards his husband. The young man was startled by his voice, as he opened his eyes in a shock.

“Magnus?! What are you doing here?”

“Oh no,” He shook his head, while looking sternly at his husband. “I should be asking this, darling. But I’ll ask something else. What have you done, Alexander?!”

“I don’t know what you…” Alec responded, getting up from the throne. He walked closer to Magnus, but the warlock took two steps back. It hurt the shadowhunter.

“Don’t play dumb, Alec. No one can step into Edomus, except for me, my father and those, who share our blood or power. So, I’m asking again. What have you done?”

“Nothing, my lo…”

“Stop lying, Alec. If you won’t tell me, I’ll call on my father and ask him.” Alec remained silent, though he came closer Magnus, blocking him with his arms, before he could walk back more. Magnus could feel the coldness of his body again, which made him shiver. “What have you done, Alexander?” Magnus repeated in a softer voice, while looking down in Alec’s blue eyes. “Tell me.”

“I’ve done everything I could to save you.” At first, Magnus didn’t understand this. It all seemed to be surreal. Yet, there were still so many unspoken things, so many hidden truths. “I couldn’t let you go.”

“Did what? When? ” Again, Alec fell silent and avoided looking in Magnus’s cat eyes. “I wasn’t in any…” Then it hit him, hard, as a memory from eight years ago flashed in his mind. He saw the scene from Edom behind his closed eyes. He had seen Jonathan, and himself as he was taking the magic of his father back from the boy. Once again he felt the ripping of his insides, as the power was consuming him alive.

“Magnus!” Alec’s scared voice startled him and forced to snap his eyes open. The blue eyes of his husband were filled with concern, he was grabbing his arms strongly, holding Magnus close to his body. “Sweetheart? Are you alright?”

“What have you given up for my life? ” Even though Magnus already knew the answer, after all he had seen the inside of Alec’s body and his essence, he hoped this to be lie. But it wasn’t. “Your soul…” The other man nodded once, rising his hand up to Magnus’s cheek to stroke it gently. “Alec…”

“I’d give up my life for you. I love you just as much as I loved you back then in Edom. I’d do everything for you, Magnus. Even offer myself to the Devil.” Alec’s voice was strained, yet there was affection heard in it. “And I would do it again, if it’d mean for you to be safe, by my side. That’s it.”

“No it’s not,” Magnus said with a resignation. “It’s not that simple. You have no idea, what you have brought on yourself, my love. But fear not, I’ll free you of this deal.”

“Magnus…” before Alec had a chance to stop him, the warlock was whispering the familiar words of a prayer to his father.

Edomus filled itself with the hell’s coldness. Ice blue flames concerned themselves in the middle of the room, around the bony throne. Black smoke, shimmering with green-gold sparkles formed around the throne, before they turned into Magnus’s father’s body.

“My sons, ” he addressed them both, offering them a crooked smile. “What ills you?”

“You had no right!” Magnus was the first to speak, coming through the flames to stand before his father. “Give Alexander his soul back!”

“He made a deal with me.”

“He didn’t know the consequences.” Magnus said back, growing impatient with every next second. “Free him of the deal.”

“I can’t, my boy,” Asmodeus’s voice was stern, his face stoic. “He offered his soul willingly.”

“Of course he had! You promised him my life!” The demon shrugged his arms nonchalantly, smirking. “You lied about consequences.”

“I know about them, Magnus,” Alec spoke for the first time since Asmodeus came to Edomus. He walked towards them. The hell’s fire did nothing to him, as it sensed his new essence. “I know everything, what is in the deal, Magnus. I agreed to it.”

“You don’t know!” Bane protested loudly. “Did he tell you that you will spend your eternity in Edom? As his pawn? You would be the eternal warrior, always on the line of death, but never truly be dead. Did he tell you that? Did he tell you that you’ll be his entertainment until he deems you to be useless and finally let you die? Did he tell you that you’ll be the one to taunt those who will come to Edom?” Alec’s eyes were wide open in a shock. “I thought so.” Once again he looked at his demonic father. “Release him of the deal, father and I’ll give you what you want. Willingly.”

“NO!” Alec protested, drawing Magnus back from Asmodeus. “You can’t give him your immortality, Magnus. You’ll die!”

“I can’t let you be his servant, my love.” He leaned down to capture Alec’s lips in a soft kiss. “Take care of our boys. Tell them that I love them. I love you, Alexander.”

“No! You don’t! If you’d love us, you wouldn’t leave us.” Alec seethed with rage, squeezing Magnus’s wrists to the point of almost crushing the bones. “If you’ll do it, I’ll hate you forever. I rather be his servant after death, than for you to be dead now and leave me and our sons.”

“So? I love your quarrel, but I have no more time.” Asmodeus spoke, looking smugly at his bony fingers. “My son, are you giving up your immortality for the soul of your beloved? Or I’m keeping Alec’s soul forever. Or if you won’t make a decision quickly, I just kill you both and take you with me now.”

“You can’t kill me,” Magnus stated firmly, giving his father a pointed look. “If you would, my power wouldn’t serve its purpose in Edom. For the power I need to willingly call on you at my last breath and plead you to take me to our home realm for eternity.”

“My, my, you indeed have the knowledge of your bloodline, my son.” Asmodeus commented lightly.

“I met Amand once, my older brother. He shared the knowledge with me before his death.” The demon hadn’t said a word to that. “Now. I make you a deal, father. I’ll give my immortality and power willingly to you on my death, if you promise to give Alec his soul back. When I die, all my power will rebuild the whole Edom. I can promise you, that during my remained lifetime, I will gain the power of other warlocks and demons so you could be even more powerful after my death.”

Asmodeus seemed to consider Magnus’s offer with a thoughtful look. His gaze skipped from his son to the hunter before him. He observed them accurately, as Alec tried to convince Magnus to forget about the deal and let him be Asmodeus’s servant. Although having the hunter killing demons for Asmodeus was a great deal, his own son offered him something much better. Magnus’s power was indeed something to desire. And given up willingly, along with his immortality, would serve its purpose and make Edom the most powerful realm in every dimension.

“I accept,” Asmodeus stated, holding his open palm up to the two men. A second later, golden ball appeared in the middle of it. “Here’s your soul, my little hunter.” Magnus smiled relieved, turning his cat eyes on Alec. “But the question is, whether you want it back and give up on the power I offered you.”

“Alec…” Magnus started, but the hunter quickly cut him off.

“No.” Asmodeus snapped his fingers and Alec’s soul disappeared from his hand. “I want to keep the power.”

“Alexander!”

“I need to keep you and our boys safe.” He stated, looking directly into demon’s eyes. “I don’t want to die on a battlefield, leaving you and children alone. With his power, I’m able to keep all of you safe, to be with you for a long time. I won’t leave you in five-ten years. I will actually live to see my children being grown up, to see my grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren. We can have the future, Magnus. Don’t you want this?”

“See? He doesn’t want to break our bond, my son.” Asmodeus popped in, getting up from the throne. “As much as I love to participate some more in this family drama, I must hasten my go. There are certain matters that need my attention. Farewell, my sons. Give my greetings to my grandchildren. I do hope to meet them one day.”

“After my dead body,” Magnus responded with malice in his voice. Asmodeus left Edomus in a black smoke, leaving the two of them alone. They looked into each other’s eyes for a while, breathing hardly, as Edomus’s air became thick again. Finally, after what it seemed forever, Magnus opened his mouth. “You made a huge mistake, Alexander. Deals with my father are never good. You will stop being shadowhunter eventually. It started already. Jace cannot feel your parabatai bond anymore. Soon, the runes will stop working on you as well.”

“I don’t care.” Alec lowered his voice, stroking Magnus’s long, black hair. “I rather stop being shadowhunter than let anyone of you get hurt. I love you so much, Magnus. I couldn’t bear to lose you our our kids.”

“With every amount of power you take from my father, you will become eventually a demon.” the warlock explained the consequences his father seemed to forget to mention. “You won’t be able to step into the Institute anymore or handle your stele or your seraph blades. You will be part demon, like me, or maybe even more, since I’m not using strictly Asmodeus’s power.”

“It does not matter,” Magnus sighed with resignation, feeling defeated. “As long as I’ll be with you and kids, I can even be a demon.”

“I don’t approve this. ” Alec nodded to this. If the situation was different, he probably wouldn’t like Magnus doing such a thing as well. He would try to stop him from risking his life like that. Yet, on the other hand, Alec needed to protect his family, at all costs. “But I will learn to live with this. But you have to tell your family about your deal.”

When they woke in their bodies, back in the Institute, Alec before Magnus, the hunter described in his mother, brother, sister and step-father the truth hidden behind his sudden strength. His family, as predicted by Magnus, disagreed with Alec’s idea as well. Even though they were a family for years now, Maryse glared Magnus, as if she was accusing him of being the cause of the deal. She wasn’t very far from the truth. Magnus knew, that Alec acted on his feelings. In one hand, he was glad that he still lived because of his beloved. But on the other hand, he couldn’t stop feeling pain at the thought of Alec not being able to die as a true shadowhunter like he deserved.

Later at night, when Alec laid in bed next to their sons, snoring softly, Magnus stroked his hair lightly, looking at their family. They were perfect, loving, amazing, something that Magnus never thought he could have. He wanted to last them as much as they could, but also, he wanted to save Alec’s soul from his father’s grasp, without losing his own life.

For that, he needed to contact his old friend, who could grant him the heaven’s help.


	23. A light of hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hello,   
> I bet you didn't expect to see another addition in this story, right? In fact, me too. But lately I realized that I miss writing for this fandom. Sure, re-writing MWAAF is cool and all, but I miss writing some new stuff.   
> Anyway,  
> This is likely the last addition to this story and hopefully you'll like it.   
> Characters belongs to Cassie Clare.  
> Enjoy reading.

Tessa Carstairs sat on the green love seat in the living room of her new house in Los Angeles. Her three year old son - William - was playing outside with his father and aunt Emma, who had visited them lately. In front of her, on the other love seat was sitting her best friend, Magnus Bane, with a worry written all over his face, along with hope painted in his cat eyes.

“I’m not sure I understood you well enough, Magnus? You want to summon Raziel?”

“Yeah. ” He admitted, biting down his lower lip.

“May I ask why?”

“It’s a long story. ” The woman remained silent to give a way to explain the situation. “When I went to Edom to save Alec from Jonathan, I had to summon my father. Jonathan wanted to grasp Asmodeus’s power, so father allowed me to use his power to kill Morgenstern. But his power was too much for me, combined with Lilith’s power that the nephilim owned. The power was killing me, so I gave all of the powers to my father, along with mine. I was nearly dead, when apparently Alec bargained for my soul and life with Asmodeus.”

“He bargained with your demonic father? ” Magnus nodded to this with a sad smile.

“He offered his soul for my life.” Tessa inhaled the air sharply, clutching her chest. “When I learned about it, I summoned my father so he would release Alec of the deal, but Alexander didn’t want to let go of the power. But Tess...I want Alec to go to heaven after death, I want him to still be a shadowhunter. He doesn’t know other life, he will hate me, when he’ll become a half demon. I know it.”

“And you want Raziel to do what?”

“I will bargain with Raziel, I give him something which he could never have.” Tessa raised her eyebrows in a silent question. “Power.”

“Magnus...summoning Angels is…”

“We summoned Raziel before, Simon faced him when he had the mark of Cain…” Tessa was silent again, closing her eyes for a while. Magnus didn’t like when she had this expression, it always meant that she’ll say no to his idea. Now he needed just one voice that will agree to his idea, even though it was the most idiotic plan of his in his entire life. “But I cannot do it by myself.”

“You think that just because I set Ithuriel free, I have some likes upon the heaven? It isn’t as we can call upon them, Magnus. We are the downworlders.”

“I can summon him, angel’s blood runs through my veins, Tessa, but I need your help. You are a half shadowhunter, you have some angel’s blood in you too.” She was shaking her head to his words. “Please, I cannot let him prolong the bargain with my father, and I need someone who’s skilled in magic and shadowhunting.”

“Why won’t you ask Clary or Jace? They are unique.”

“Jace still is Alec’s parabatai, he will tell on me. Clary is his wife, she will tell Alec as well.”

“This is a bad idea, Magnus.” She criticized him, sighing loudly. Only Magnus could come up with such a terrible thought. Even though the woman knew him for so many years now, he never ceased to shock her.

“You’re going to help me, right?” A small nod confirmed his hopes. “Wonderful! I knew there’s a reason we’re being friends Tessa.” Magnus smiled brightly at her, his cat eyes shined with joy. “We will summon Raziel at the Lyn Lake. I have an access to Idris as the member of the Council. I will go under the pretext to talk to the Inquisitor, and no one will suspect anything. Prepare, we’re going tomorrow.”

Strangely, Alec didn’t argue with the sudden want of his husband to talk to Jia Penhallow. In fact, he even believed that Magnus wanted to take the position of an academic teacher, that the Inquisitor proposed to him during the last family dinner. Magnus declined the offer then, since Rafael was very sick, but now, when his son was well, he could consider the job. Of course, it was a small lie, Magnus didn’t want to take the position, he didn’t want to constantly travel between New York and Idris, or move in there altogether. Despite being the husband of a head of the New York Institute for so many years now, some shadowhunters still looked down on him.

“Be careful there, Magnus,” Alec kissed him on lips softly, as Bane opened the portal for himself in the Institute. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you? I can leave the kids with Clary and Jace.”

“I’ll be fine, Alexander, and besides, Clary is about to pop the baby out, it’s not wise to leave two hyperactive boys with her, especially that one of them is learning to control his magic.” Alec nodded reluctantly to this. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I love you, my blue eyed Angel.”

“I love you too, be safe and say hi to Jia, Helen and Aline from me, ok?”

When Bane stepped into Idris, Tessa was already waiting for him with an askew smile. She wore a simple white sweater, which ended by her knees. Her navy blue leggings reached her ankles and hid inside her high white sneakers. Her long, brown hair were made up in a loose ponytail and few strands were hanging loosely around her free of makeup face.

“I approve the outfit dear, sportish.”

“Well, if we’re going to summon an Angel who could possibly kill us, I’d rather be in my comfortable clothes, Magnus.”

Magnus decided to go for one of his best attires, as Alec usually called his sequined red-shirt with long sleeves and black, leather skinny pants. His husband always said that it’s a crime to look that hot in leather.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we?” The female warlock reached for Magnus’s hand, as she used to do in the past. Bane gladly had taken her hand in his and led her towards the Lake Lyn.

Nothing has changed since Magnus stood before the Lake Lyn ten years ago, after coming back from Edom. The air floating above the water was chill, sending shivers all over his body. The morning sun mirrored itself in the dark waters of the lake, brightening it in the middle of its surface.

Magnus placed his black backpack on the sand, and took out the Book of White out of it. Tessa crossed her arms on her chest and looked impatiently at her friend. Magnus took a deep breath and kneeled on the ground before he started to chant the summoning spell.

The air around him turned cold and thick at the same time, yet the coldness wasn’t familiar to him. It ate his body alive, ripping it from the inside. Magnus wanted to throw up, he felt that blood is coming up to his throat. Summoning Angels wasn’t that easy as he thought at first, it was more difficult than calling on demons. Magnus was about to stop chanting and let himself being consumed by the coldness, when he was blinded by the white glow before him.

“Who dares to summon me?” A deep male voice boomed in his ears. Before Magnus had a chance to respond, the voice spoke again. “Child of Asmodeus, saviour of Ithuriel.” He addressed both downworlders with sharp golden eyes. “Do you not fear of me?”

“My father rules the hell,” Magnus said casually, getting up from his knees to face the Angels. “Plus I have these.”

Magnus snapped his fingers and the Mortal cup and Maellartach appeared in his hands. Tessa’s eyes opened wide in a shock, as her friend smiled sheepishly at the Angel.

“You think these instruments will protect you from my wrath, son of Asmodeus?”

“No, these instruments have to help you help me.” If Angels could be confused than Raziel’s face expressed it now as he lowered his head to look better at Magnus. It was strange to be so small, usually Magnus was the tallest in every group he currently had been.

“You’ve intrigued me, child, speak.” Magnus frowned at the naming, he was far from being a child. But then for an eternal Angel everyone were children, even four hundredth year old warlocks.

“I want to bargain with you for the soul of my husband.” Raziel remained silent, so Magnus continued his explanation. “Alexander Lightwood, one of your children, had sold his soul for my life to my father. I need you to break the bond between my father and Alexander, so he wouldn’t be dead.”

“What makes you think that I would even consider your words, child and not kill you instead?”

“I am offering you what you crave the most, Raziel.” Tessa came to stand next to Magnus and grabbed his hand. Even with his whole bravado, she could feel him tremble in a fear before Raziel. She was shaking as well, thinking about her sweet son and husband, to whom she may not come back, if the Angel decided to end their promptly immortal lives. “I am offering you a power to destroy your enemies. If you will grant me your help, I promise to kill every prince of the Hell and offer you their powers.”

“You will kill your own father, child?”

“I will do everything to save Alec.” He stated firmly, squeezing Tessa’s hand. She didn’t expect Magnus to offer this kind of power. She thought that he may offer his immortality or his own power at most, but killing princes of Hell? It was surprising at least. “I can retrieve their powers and put them in one container which will immediately make them weak and easy to kill with the mortal sword.”

“Your father used to be a very powerful Angel, until he followed Lucifer in his falling.” Raziel closed his eyes as he spoke. “He wields a great power, yet I am not yearning for it.”

“I thought that it will be better for you if Greater Demons will be dead…”

“The world needs a balance of good and evil, my brother Samael used to phrase, so did my brother Michael.” Both warlocks were silence, letting the Angel express his words. “Your father was my best teacher in the fights, for I am a soldier of the God himself, Magnus Bane.”

“I can give you everything you want, Raziel, just please, help me.” He dropped down to his knees again and lifted his hands to pray. “I beg you, Raziel…”

“If only your father had so much bravery to beg for forgiveness… I will grant you my help, son of Asmodeus, but not for the power, but for I cannot let Asmodeus taint the blood of my children.” Magnus was singing salves of hallelujah in his mind, when the angel agreed to help him, yet he felt deep down that it couldn’t be that easy. “But for the punishment for summoning me, I shall take your immortality, Magnus Bane.”

“Deal. I can be a mortal even, as long as Alec will be safe.” The angel gave a simple nod, before he turned to the warlocks again.

“Summon your shadowhunter, child.” Magnus did as asked. He opened a portal straight to the Institute and ordered Tessa to drag Alec here as fast as she could. When she disappeared by the blue surface of a portal, the Angel spoke up again. “A demon’s child have fallen in love with an Angel’s child. You remind me of Adam, he came to beg our Lord to spare the life of the poisonous woman, when she committed a sin. Our Lord is merciful to those who can beg for forgiveness, Magnus Bane, and so are we, his messengers.”

He spoke no more, as two people stepped out of the portal created by the warlock. Alec’s blue eyes were filled with confusion, when he spotted Raziel and kneeling Magnus.

“By the Angel…” He moved his eyes towards his husband. “Magnus...what is…”

“I promised you that I will set you free of the deal with my father, Alec. You will no longer be his servant, my love.” Magnus looked at Raziel and stepped back, letting the Angel do his job. “Bear through the pain, Alec, everything will be fine. I love you.”

Raziel shot his bright light straight on Alexander, and the world around them went blind. Magnus kept blinking to see something, but it was pointless. The angelic light was too much for his demon’s eyes. But he had heard Alec’s painful screams, as the Angel was curing him of the demon’s bonding. Magnus’s heart ached along with his hunter husband.

“Alec! ” He found himself shouting, with his eyes closed. “Alec!”

“Give my greetings to your cursed father, Magnus Bane.” He heard Raziel’s voice, following the sound of rustling wings. The earth quaked underneath them, sounds of splashing water were heard somewhere close to the warlock. A sound of loud gasping made him open his eyes.

White smoke was surrounding the fragile body of his beloved hunter. Magnus could hear his struggling to inhale the air. Immediately, the warlock got up and ran towards his husband. He dropped to his knees and turned his lover to look at his pale face.

Alec’s eyes were closed, his heart was hammering, which was easily heard as silence surrounded the Lake Lyn.

“Alec, darling? ” Magnus whispered, lightly shaking the man’s shoulders. “Sweetheart?”

“Maybe we should cast some spell on him, Magnus? ” Tessa kneeled next to him and put her thin hand over the man’s heart. “His heart is erratic. Magnus we have to do something, before he’ll have a heart attack!”

It snapped him out of the sudden shock, and he nodded silently. Tessa offered her hand to Magnus, to give him some of her power. She knew that summoning Raziel had to drain lots of his power.

Magnus started to chant healing spells, hoping that his actions hadn’t left a terrible impact on his husband. He felt Alec’s heart calming under his magic, which gave him hope for a success.

Suddenly Alec sharply inhaled the air and opened his beautiful blue eyes. Magnus’s face brightened with a wide smile, his eyes sparkled with joy.

“Alec? Sweetie? ” Magnus was stroking his face lovingly, as the younger man blinked a few times. “Darling?”

“Who are you?”

It was then, when Magnus’s world ended, in the most painful way. He couldn’t breathe, his heart froze, a lump formed in his throat. Alec’s blue eyes were boring into his cat eyes with a slightly confused expression, before they softened for a moment.

“Alexander...sweetheart...it’s me, Magnus, your…”

“My husband, who’s a pain in my ass too!” Alec sat up on the ground and pushed Magnus’s and Tessa’s hands from his his chest. “What in the Angel’s name, Magnus?! What have you done to me?!”

“I saved you from the curse my father placed upon you!” he shouted back at Alec. “I summoned Raziel to break your bond with Asmodeus, for your own good, Alexander.”

“I wanted to keep this bond so I could stay with you and Max, you idiot! I don’t want to watch you cry, when I’ll be dying! I wanted to be with you forever and to keep you safe and you messed it up!”

“You would become a demon…”

“I’d rather be a demon than for you and our children watch me die!” Alec was touching his wrist, pressing on his pulse and whispering something, which Magnus couldn’t hear. “Fuck!”

“Alec…”

“No!” He turned his back to the warlock and walked away from him, shaking his head. “I cannot leave them, I need your power, come on!”

“Alec…”

“Summon your father, Magnus! ” Alec requested, looking sharply at his husband. “I need to fix your mess.”

“No. You won’t become his servant, not now, not ever! I rather mourn you till my last breath, than for you to bond with Asmodeus.” Magnus got up from the sand and walked to his husband. Alec flinched when the older man tried to touch his shoulder, which hurt Magnus immensely. “My love, you truly don’t understand what deals with my father means. He will break your bond with Jace…”

“Jace will understand,” Alec responded. “I love my parabatai, but you and our boys are more important to me. I want to be able to see our sons grow up, to watch my future grandchildren. I want to be able to protect you from any danger…”

“And you can do it, while still being a shadowhunter, baby. You can protect me and our boys just fine…”

“I don’t want to do just fine, Mags!” he cut him off. “I want to be the best in protecting all of you. And I can do it with your father’s power.” Magnus shook his head to this statement. “As long as I’ll be with you…”

“I’m mortal now, Alec.” The blue eyed man opened his mouth in shock, his whole body stiffed. “Raziel took my immortality away, for help. Somehow he let me keep my powers, but I’m as much mortal as you are now.”

“Why?”

“I couldn’t let my father order us around,” Magnus gave him a sad smile. “My immortality is a small price for your safety, Alexander. I never had a chance to grow old with someone, and since we’re together...I...I looked up for a way to do it, because I love you and I cannot imagine morun you and Rafael for years. My heart would die with both of you.”

“Max…”

“I’ll try my best to stay with our blueberry as long as I can, but Alec...I lived for so many years already...and I want my time with you and our boys to be my last one.” Alec sighed loudly. “I want to grow old with you, Alexander. I know, that once we’ll die, we won’t be together in the afterlife, but now I’ll be sure that you’ll end up in heaven, along with other angels.”

“You’re sentimental, Magnus.”

“Maybe, but Alexander...you’re an Angel and you belong with heaven, not with the hell, like I do.” For a moment, they were consumed in a silence. Love and passion expressed in their soft looks. Magnus placed his hand upon Alec’s right, pale cheek now brushed with rosy color and stroked i slowly. “You’re an angel, Alexander dear.”

“What are we going to do now? ” he asked, looking up at Magnus.

“We will hope for the better day tomorrow, my love. We will hope to stay alive as long as we can, for our boys. We will hope to be able to protect them and ourselves from everything what fate holds for us in the future.” Magnus was saying, interlocking his other hand with Alec’s one. “We will hope for a life full of love and happiness, my blue eyed Angel.”

“You’re my angel too, Magnus. And you’re wrong, we will both end up in a heaven or hell. I vowed to you forever, and I be damned to keep my promise, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Did you like it?
> 
> So, I'm still looking for someone who'd like to draw scenes for MWAAF for me. You know in a co-work with credits and all. If any of you is interested or know someone who would want to, give me a note, either here by a comment or reach me through my twitter or tumblr. My twitter account @PaulinaK_PL and tumblr @intoxicpl
> 
> Comment if you feel like to.
> 
> Lots of love,
> 
> Intoxic


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